ABSTRACT
So far we have concentrated on thrombosis and embolism, conditions that may suddenly affect healthy people of any age. Now we move on to the major cardiovascular problems of later life, namely hypertension, myocardial infarction and strokes. These are overwhelming causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries and are associated with atherosclerosis of arteries (Fig. 8.1), so it is of great importance to try to identify the causes and mechanisms of atherosclerosis.
