ABSTRACT
Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease affecting the entire arterial tree and involves complex processes leading to the formation of atherosclerotic plaque. It represents in large part, an infl ammatory response in the vessels (Gutstein et al. 1999; Tousoulis et al. 2012). Of note, it is now considered an interplay of genetics and inflammation which leads to a greater understanding of the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis (Tousoulis et al. 2008a). Furthermore, endothelial injury, resulting in endothelial dysfunction (ED), is now regarded an important early event in the development of atherosclerosis (Tousoulis et al. 2012), while classic and novel risk factors for atherosclerosis represent crucial parameters associated with ED (Khot et al. 2003; Greenland et al. 2003).
