Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Introduction

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Atherosclerosis Pathogenesis and Microvascular Dysfunction

  • 826 Accesses

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is the progressive buildup of plaque inside arteries and the leading cause of vascular disease worldwide. Despite decades of research, the pathomechanisms of disease development are still not known. Contrary to popular belief, atherosclerosis is not a generalized disease but rather shows significant site specificity with some sites preferentially spared from disease. This chapter is a brief introduction to some of the misconceptions and outstanding questions in the field of atherosclerosis research.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Defense USD. DoD News Briefing–Secretary Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers. 2002. http://archive.defense.gov/Transcripts/Transcript.aspx?TranscriptID=2636. Accessed 20 Sept 2018.

  2. Marchand F. Über Arteriosklerose. Verhandlungen des Kongresses für Inn Medizin 21 Kongress Leipzig; 1904. p. 23–59.

    Google Scholar 

  3. WHO. Projections of mortality and causes of death, 2015 and 2030. 2012. http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/projections/en/.

  4. Ophüls W. Arteriosclerosis cardiovascular disease: their relation to infectious diseases. 1st ed. California: Standford University Press; 1921.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Winternitz MC, Thomas RMM, LeCompte P. The biology of arteriosclerosis. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas; 1938.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  6. Creech O. A surgeon’s view of atherosclerosis. Am Heart J. 1957;54:641–2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. French JE. Atherosclerosis in relation to the structure and function of the arterial intima, with special reference to th endothelium. Int Rev Exp Pathol. 1966;5:253–353.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Hauss WH, Bauch HJ, Schulte H. Adrenaline and noradrenaline as possible chemical mediators in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1990;598:91–101.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Nakashima Y, Wight TN, Sueishi K. Early atherosclerosis in humans: role of diffuse intimal thickening and extracellular matrix proteoglycans. Cardiovasc Res. 2008;79:14–23. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvn099.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. National Heart, Lung and BI Atherosclerosis. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/atherosclerosis/causes. Accessed 18 Sept 2018.

  11. Hansen T, Wikström J, Johansson LO, et al. The prevalence and quantification of atherosclerosis in an elderly population assessed by whole-body magnetic resonance angiography. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2007;27:649–54. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.ATV.0000255310.47940.3b.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Burke AP, Farb A, Malcom GT, et al. Effect of risk factors on the mechanism of acute thrombosis and sudden coronary death in women. Circulation. 1998;97:2110–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Anitschow NN, Chalatow S. Ueber den Gehalt normaler und atheromatoser Aorten an Cholesterol und Cholesterinester. Zentrbl Allg Pathol Pathol Anat. 1913;24:1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Stehbens WE. Coronary heart disease, hypercholesterolemia, and atherosclerosis I. False premises. Exp Mol Pathol. 2001;70:103–19. https://doi.org/10.1006/exmp.2000.2340.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Stehbens WE. Coronary heart disease, hypercholesterolemia, and atherosclerosis II. Misrepresented data. Exp Mol Pathol. 2001;70:120–39. https://doi.org/10.1006/exmp.2000.2339.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Thayer W, Brush C. The relation of acute infections and arteriosclerosis. JAMA. 1904;43:583–4.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Thayer W. On the late effects of typhoid fever on the heart and vessels. Am J Med Sci. 1904;77:391–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Gilbert L. Artérites infectieuses expérimentales. Compt rend Soc biol. 1889.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Crocq. Contribution a L’étude expérimentale des artérites infectieuses. Arch méd Exp. 1894;6:583.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Klotz. The experimental production of arteriosclerosis. Br Med J. 1906;2:1767.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Fabricant CG, Fabricant J, Litrenta MM, Minick CR. Virus-induced atherosclerosis. J Exp Med. 1978;148:335–40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Thoma R. Über die Abhängigkeit der Bindegewebsneubildung in der Arterienintima von den mechanischen Bedingungen des Blutumlaufs. Virchows Arch. 1883;93:443–505.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Diamond SL, Eskin SG, McIntire LV. Fluid flow stimulates tissue plasminogen activator secretion by cultured human endothelial cells. Science. 1989;243:1483–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Kosaki K, Ando J, Korenaga R, et al. Fluid shear stress increases the production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor by endothelial cells via mRNA stabilization. Circ Res. 1998;82:794–802.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Thubrikar MJ, Robicsek F. Pressure-induced arterial wall stress and atherosclerosis. Ann Thorac Surg. 1995;59:1594–603.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Shaaban AM, Duerinckx AJ. Wall shear stress and early atherosclerosis: a review. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2000;174:1657–65. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.174.6.1741657.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Cunningham KS, Gotlieb AI. The role of shear stress in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Lab Invest. 2005;85:9–23. https://doi.org/10.1038/labinvest.3700215.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Stone PH, Maehara A, Coskun AU, et al. Role of low endothelial shear stress and plaque characteristics in the prediction of nonculprit major adverse cardiac events: the PROSPECT study. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2018;11:462–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmg.2017.01.031.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Virchow R. Cellular pathology. 1860.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Adams CW. Arteriosclerosis in man, other mammals and birds. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 1964;39:372–423.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Dahme EG. Atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis in domestic animals. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1965;127:657–70. https://doi.org/10.1164/arrd.1978.118.6.1101.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Sandison AT. Degenerative vascular disease in the Egyptian mummy. Med Hist. 1962;6:77–81.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Thompson RC, Allam AH, Lombardi GP, et al. Atherosclerosis across 4000 years of human history: the Horus study of four ancient populations. Lancet (London, England). 2013;381:1211–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60598-X.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Allam AH, Thompson RC, Wann LS, et al. Atherosclerosis in ancient Egyptian mummies: the Horus study. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2011;4:315–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmg.2011.02.002.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany

    Axel Haverich & Erin Colleen Boyle

Authors
  1. Axel Haverich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Erin Colleen Boyle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Axel Haverich .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Haverich, A., Boyle, E.C. (2019). Introduction. In: Atherosclerosis Pathogenesis and Microvascular Dysfunction. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20245-3_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20245-3_1

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-20244-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-20245-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation