Figure 3: Timeline of Atherosclerosis
For More Information:
Complications of
Atherosclerosis
Stenosis: Narrowing of blood vessel
resulting in decreased blood flow.
Plaque rupture: Portion of plaque
breaks off and begins circulating in the
blood stream.
Plaque rupture can lead to heart attack
or stroke either by circulation of the
portion in blood stream to smaller
vessels, or clot formation in an already
narrowed blood vessel.
2 5
Further reading:
About atherosclerosis, heart disease, diet, and
possible treatments.
American Heart Association (AHA)
Mayo Clinic
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
General Information:
Atherosclerosis:
The figures were appended from the following
A Segway to Heart Disease
sources.
Figure 1: thinglink.com
An Overview of the Disease,
Figure 2: Dr. Keefe Manning, PSU
Figure 3: wikipedia.org
Complications, and Treatment
Options for Those Diagnosed
Figure 4: mayfieldclinic.com
Figure 5: medgurus.org or At Risk
What is Atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis, a form of arteriosclerosis, is
a disease that results in the hardening of the
artery walls from the formation of plaque.
How Does the Plaque Form?
1. An injury to the blood vessel wall can result in
circulating cholesterol, like high-density lipoprotein
(HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), to leave the
blood stream and enter the tissue, as well as attract
circulating immune cells.
2. LDL, considered the bad cholesterol, affects change
in the tissue by making the cells of the blood vessel
wall attract white blood cells (immune cells).
3. This leads to an early sign of atherosclerosis in which
immune cells digest the LDL and become foam cells
which are precursors to fatty streaks (plaque).
4. Foam cells will continue to form, and smooth muscle
cells will migrate into the fatty streak, resulting in the
continued growth of the plaque.
Figure 2: Plaque Formation
Stenosis
The narrowing of blood vessels will lead to decreased blood
supply and decreased oxygen delivered to tissues.
Your blood vessels can initially combat the effects of
stenosis by dilating, but the smooth muscle cells can only
relax to a certain point.
Figure 4: Blood Vessel With Stenosis
Stenosed valve
Common signs of stenosis:
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Rapid fatigue during mild exertion
*Not all patients exhibit noticeable symptoms*
Treatment Options
Atherosclerosis can begin in the pre-
adolescent stage of development, and can go
undetected for many years because there
are no symptoms that are associated with
initial plaque formation.
Common preventative techniques are to
exercise regularly, and consume the
good cholesterol (HDL).
Angioplasty is a common procedure
employed to open up narrowed blood
vessels with a stent or balloon.
More modern approaches employ the use of
medications that facilitate the removal of
excess LDL from the body which can slow, or
halt plaque formation (Regeneron-Praluent).
Angioplasty
Stent or balloon insertion into stenosed blood vessel can
push plaque back and re-open vessel.
Figure 5: Angioplasty Procedure

2.
Plaque Rupture
1. Intense physical exertion can result in a portion of the
4. plaque that has formed breaking off because of increased
blood pressure during heavy exercise.

This can stimulate platelet activity and the clotting cascade

which can cause further stenosis leading to blockage of that
blood vessel, or plaque can travel through circulation to
3. smaller capillaries inducing blockage in other vessels.
Balloon catheter Metal stent

1 3 4