Information on drug therapies for atherosclerosis Healthcare professionals and scientists have carefully prepared this ALtruis Biomedical Network-affiliated site, intended for informational purposes only . When it affects the coronary arteries , it is the underlying cause of most heart attacks and a common cause of congestive heart failure and arrhythmias . The pathological process begins very early with a fatty streak composed of lipid deposited in the intima of arteries.
Modified macrophages known as foam cells accumulate in the plaque region.
These lipoproteins and cholesterol esters induce collagen synthesis by subintimal fibroblasts . When the lesion becomes infiltrated with fibrous material it protrudes into the lumen of the artery. The lesion itself rarely occludes the artery but rather it is blood clots that form on top of the plaque that close off the channel. Chronic lesions become calcified and the elasticity of the vessel is decreased. This hardening of the arteries causes an increase in resistance to blood flow and therefore an increase in blood pressure .