ABSTRACT
One of the most curious features of atherosclerosis is its patchy distribution within the arterial system. Only a few arteries tend to be heavily infested with fibrous plaques, notably the aorta and the coronary and cerebral arteries, though arteries of the limbs, particularly the legs, the kidneys and the lungs may also be involved. Even within a given artery, distribution tends to be patchy. In coronary arteries atherosclerosis occurs mainly in the epicardial region, namely extramurally, outside the heart itself. In cerebral arteries atherosclerosis begins in the extracranial portion of the vessels, appearing normally only decades later in intracranial arteries. Lesions concentrated in short sections of arteries endanger the blood supply of vital organs. Generally, it can be observed that musculo-elastic arteries are more prone to atherosclerosis than muscular arteries and within individual arteries points of bifurcation are most vulnerable.
