Atherosclerosis, the growth of fatty plaques in blood vessel walls, is the largest cause of human mortality. Unstable plaques rupture to block blood vessels to cause a heart attack or stroke, while the narrowing of arteries by plaque contributes to heart failure, dementia, and other conditions.
Atherosclerosis, the growth of fatty plaques in blood vessel walls, is the largest cause of human mortality.
Unstable plaques rupture to block blood vessels to cause a heart attack or stroke, while the narrowing of arteries by plaque contributes to heart failure, dementia, and other conditions.
The macrophages are instead overwhelmed by the toxic plaque environment, become inflammatory to call in more macrophages, and die to add their mass to the plaque.
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Atherosclerosis, the growth of fatty plaques in blood vessel walls, is the largest cause of human mortality. Unstable plaques rupture to block blood vessels to cause a heart attack or stroke, while the narrowing of arteries by plaque contributes to heart failure, dementia, and other conditions. The macrophages are instead overwhelmed by the toxic plaque environment, become inflammatory to call in more macrophages, and die to add their mass to the plaque.
A plaque is in essence a growing macrophage graveyard.
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