ABSTRACT
The word ‘atherosclerosis’, first coined by Thoma in 1886, is derived from two Greek words-‘athero’—meaning gruel and ‘sclero sis’ meaning hardening. This is descriptive of the advanced form of atherosclerosis-a fi brous thickening of the arterial wall made up of connective tissue and smooth muscle cells, surrounding a soft cholesterol-filled center with associated macrophages. In essence, it is a process in which the arterial wall becomes damaged and subsequently attempts to heal itself.
