ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Atherosclerosis is a common and global disease.1 Its prevalence increases with age. In the primary care setting, 12-14% of patients suffer from symptomatic atherosclerosis2,3 compared to 45% in hospitalized patients.4 Among the latter patient population, up to 80% of individuals in the ninth decade have a history of previous cardiovascular events due to atherosclerosis. The disease affects the large arteries, including the aortic tree and its major branches (Figure 8.1). Common cardiovascular events occur in different vascular beds and are a sign of coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, aortic or renovascular disease. Atherosclerosis is a panarterial disease and specific morphologic signs of the disease occur in all vascular beds examined.4 Atherosclerotic lesions, the so called ‘plaques’, form in the arterial wall.5
