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Query: UMLS:C0004153 (atherosclerosis)
 77,401 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Since calcium in coronary artery walls is considered as an indicator for atherosclerosis, we used ultrafast computed tomography to quantify it non invasively in 111 hypercholesterolemic men. They were selected at worksite by a cholesterol screening program, had total cholesterol (TC) above 5.2 (6.88 +/- 0.82, SD) mmol/l, were aged from 30 to 63 (46 +/- 5 years), had never been treated with lipid lowering or antihypertensive drug, and had no clinical coronary heart disease. Body mass index, blood pressure, smoking and other serum lipids as HDL cholesterol, triglyceride (TG) were evaluated. Calcium score of proximal coronary arteries was calculated on 30 contiguous 3 mm slices from areas and peak density of calcium lesions. The mean score was 30 +/- 69 and ranged from 0 to 440. A zero score was found in 39 subjects who differed from the 72 others only by TG levels (1.44 +/- 0.60 vs 1.85 +/- 0.80; p < 0.05). A multiple regression analysis showed that elevated calcium score was associated independently to age (F = 6.6; p < 0.05) and TG (F = 6; p < 0.05) but not to blood. Thus 65% of these asymptomatic subjects had a non-zero calcium score in coronary arteries. Elevated calcium score was influenced independently by age and triglyceride level, but not by other risk factors, such as blood pressure. This potential adverse effect of moderate triglyceride elevation on large coronary arteries merits attention in the assessment of the risk of coronary heart disease.
Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 1992 Aug
PMID:[Hypertension has no effect on coronary calcifications in asymptomatic patients with hypercholesterolemia]. 148 45

Vein grafts undergo early intimal thickening and accelerated atherosclerosis. To assess the role of increased wall stress and distension in the pathogenic responses, 11 New Zealand white rabbits underwent interposition of an autologous jugular vein graft in the left common carotid artery. To relieve wall stress and reduce distension, the half proximal part of the vein was wrapped with a polytetrafluoroethylene graft (i.d. 4 mm). Animals were fed 1% cholesterol for 8 weeks. Vein graft and carotid artery were perfusion fixed with Karnovsky solution at 100 mmHg. They were stained with Sudan IV, and 5-microns cross sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and orcein. The internal diameter was reduced by 46 +/- 10% in wrapped vein graft segments as compared with unwrapped ones. The percentage of luminal surface covered by sudanophilic lesions (%AS) was assessed by automatic planimetry. Results (mean +/- SD) were as follows. [table: see text]. Abundant foam cells were found in the intima of unwrapped veins, whereas they were absent or rare in wrapped segments. We concluded that atherosclerotic lesions could be prevented in vein grafts by reducing wall stress and distension.
Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 1992 Aug
PMID:[Atherosclerosis of an arterialized venous graft. Reduction by rigid external support]. 148 61

The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis remains hypothetical, the current vogue of a lipidic origin being now only a working hypothesis. The management of an arteritic patient (for a treating clinician) is that of a case of global atherosclerosis. Screening for lipids: 1) is here of only moderate interest in the close scrutiny of currently recognized risk factors, and 2) should include initially a simple study of total plasma cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) on two occasions at one month's interval in a reliable laboratory. Therapeutic implications are a function of a global analysis of the patient and not just the values for even sophisticated assays of circulating lipids.
J Mal Vasc 1992
PMID:[Lipid balance in an arteritic patient and therapeutic implications]. 149 64

Experimental approaches to the problem of atherosclerosis involve animal or cellular models and procedures of lesional induction. Relevant animal models are rare. The rat, the mouse and the dog are free of "natural" atherosclerosis and only develop diffuse lipidosis after high cholesterol diet and thyroid block. They are more appropriate models of experimental arteriosclerosis and intimal proliferation induced by different procedures. The rabbit, also free of spontaneous atherosclerosis, is extremely sensitive to lipid-rich diets, but the lesions induced resemble more a xanthomatosis than an atherosclerosis. Immunological procedures in this model result in a generalised immune arteriosclerotic arteriopathy. The monkey and pig, which are phylogenetically close to man, develop spontaneous atherosclerosis exacerbated by lipid-rich diets or other procedures: hormones, psychosocial stress. The cost and problems of upkeep make these two models inaccessible to most laboratories. Although the hen, turkey and pigeon are grain-eating, they develop natural atherosclerosis, are sensitive to atherogenic diets, and provide satisfactory replacement models, especially for research into the viral and tumoral theories of atherogenesis. The pigeon is particularly suitable for studying cellular, biochemical and genetic aspects of atherosclerosis: these spontaneous plaques, similar to those in man, are ontogenetically and topographically predictable. The species include genetic types both sensitive and resistant to the disease. Moderately lipid-rich diets induce lesions even in very young pigeons. They also lend themselves well to the study of the antiatherosclerotic effects of pharmacological agents. Endothelial, smooth muscle and macrophage cell cultures are widely used to study the factors influencing cellular modulation and proliferation, lipid metabolism and movement of cholesterol, cellular biosynthesis and cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions.
Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 1991 Nov
PMID:[Experimental models of atherosclerosis. Contribution, limits and trends]. 176 26

The treatment of hypertension in arteritic patients must take account of several parameters: respective severity of hypertension and of arteriopathy, possibility of other sites of atherosclerosis and supposed cause of hypertension. The association of essential hypertension and of an arteriopathy does not sum up all possibilities. Hypertension may be purely systolic, due to decreased compliance. A stenosis of the renal arteries is also worth evoking in the context of an already symptomatic atherosclerotic disease. For the confirmation of the latter hypothesis, Doppler associated to echography may be an alternative to the intravenous or intra-arterial opacification of the renal arteries. In case of moderate hypertension (diastolic pressure ranging from 90 to 104 mmHg), non-medicamentous treatments should be preferred: low-sodium diet, suppression of tobacco and other risk factors, weight loss. Beta-blockers, whatever their class, reduce the walking distance in case of intermittent claudication. Though not formally contraindicated, especially when their use is justified by an associated coronary insufficiency, they are not advised in hypertensive arteritic patients. On the other hand, captopril allows both reducing blood pressure and preserving the walking distance. However, a prerequisite to the possible use of agents inhibiting the conversion enzyme is the preliminary search for a stenosis of the renal arteries. In fact, when these medications are carelessly used in case of bilateral stenosis or of stenosis on a functionally single kidney, they entail a risk of renal failure or of thrombosis of the stenosed renal artery. Calcium inhibiting agents are also anti-hypertensive substances of choice in hypertensive arteritic subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
J Mal Vasc 1991
PMID:[Treatment of hypertension in arteritic patients]. 179 78

Human atherosclerotic plaques contain two type of leucocytes: 1. Monocytes/macrophages comprise almost two thirds of the cells in the center of the lesion (lipid core), and a quarter of the cells in its periphery (fibrous cap); 2. T lymphocytes comprise 10 to 15% of the plaque cells. Polymorphonuclear granulocytes are only present in very small number. The abundance of leucocytes, together with sclerosis and proliferation of mesenchymatous cells (arterial smooth muscle cells), confer to atherosclerosis the aspect of a chronic inflammatory reaction, a fact which has been recognised for a long time. Monocytes/macrophages may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis in several ways: stimulation of the fibro-muscular reaction, endothelial injury, accumulation of intimal lipids. The role of T lymphocytes is still poorly understood. According to some observations, they might be involved in an immunological reaction of the arterial wall which could be determinant in the evolution of the lesion. Arterial leucocytes have somewhat complicated, but also widened our pathogenic hypotheses of atherosclerosis. A major issue now is to identify the nature of the arterial aggressions which provoke the involvement of leucocytes, and the reasons why the defences they oppose are overwhelmed to result eventually in severe thrombo-occlusive events. Recent evidence has strengthened the possibility that viral infection plays a role in atherosclerosis. Beyond their pathogenic interest, these acquisitions might soon provide interesting therapeutic approaches.
Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 1991 Dec
PMID:[Leukocytes and arteriosclerosis]. 179 22

Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in France: 36.4%. Abnormalities of the metabolism of lipoproteins constitute the major predisposing factor for the development and progression of arterial lesions. These abnormalities are very often genetically linked and their expression is influenced by environmental factors (nutrition, smoking ...). The prevention of cardiovascular diseases is of prime importance and the detection of atherosclerosis risk makes up one of the essential steps to this approach. Detection must be realised as early as possible, for in the cases of metabolic abnormalities, the pathogenicity of the process evolves slowly, without showing outward clinical signs and leads to major long-term damage: myocardial infarction in particular. Measuring total cholesterol and total triglycerides are insufficient, particularly when the values are not extreme, to evaluate atherosclerosis risk; these measurements must be complimented by these of the lipoproteins. Current research allows earlier and more precise biological tests of coronary risk to be envisaged.
J Mal Vasc 1991
PMID:[Lipids, lipoproteins and atherosclerosis]. 183 61

A fiber-optic tip catheter has been developed for treating coronary and peripheral atherosclerosis percutaneously. The catheter is coupled to an ionised Argon laser emitting at an optical power of 1 to 7 Watts. It is designed to follow a guide wire and to perform tissue ablation by a new concept combining the effects of central vaporisation and peripheral thermal remodelling of the obstructed artery. This mode of function should considerably reduce the risks of false route previously encountered with laser angioplasty. The optical and thermic properties of the catheter prototypes were determined by physical methods. These experiments showed that the temperature of the metallic component of the catheter tip did not exceed 30 degrees C at a continuous power of 6 laser Watts when the flush was functioning. It attained 400 degrees C in the absence of the flush. The performances of the catheter were then tested in a number of in vitro experiments. First of all, the catheter tip was placed perpendicularly to atheromatous cadaver aortae to study the effect of vaporisation with respect to the laser power. The threshold of vaporisation was 1 Watt (irradiance: 1100 Watts/cm2). The catheter was then introduced into plastic tubes obstructed by atheromatous plaques. This experiment demonstrated the mechanical solidity of the catheter and its flexibility in difficult operating conditions: diameter 2mm, 45 degrees angles, irregular calcified plaques. It also showed that the optimal safety-efficacy laser power was 3 laser Watts and that the exposure times varied with respect to the nature of the plaques tested.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 1991 Jun
PMID:[Development and evaluation of a laser catheter with tip fiberoptic for coronary angioplasty]. 189 24

The compliance of large arteries (for instance the carotid and femoral artery) can be non-invasively assessed with a vessel wall moving detector system, based upon phase tracking of the radio frequency signals generated by the arterial wall. A good compliance enables large arteries to manage the systolic flow jet from the heart more adequately, and has been suggested to protect these vessels from atherosclerosis. Arterial compliance has been found to be diminished in hypertensive subjects, even at an early stage of the disease. Antihypertensive treatment might restore compliance, depending on the drugs used. More recently, local stiffening of vessels and inhomogeneities in local distensibility have been observed in the carotid artery bifurcation of borderline hypertensives, and the time-dependent variation in local distensibility and compliance has been studied.
Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 1991 Sep
PMID:Non-invasive assessment of large arteries compliance. 195 92

In addition to contractility, arterial smooth muscle cells, like all connective tissue cells, have a capacity to proliferate and synthesize extracellular matrix. Under different normal (development, aging) and abnormal circumstances (high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, balloon angioplasty), smooth muscle cells express these properties which characterize the dedifferentiated phenotype. This paper reviews the main mechanisms, modulations and possible therapeutic implications of dedifferentiation.
Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 1991 Jan
PMID:[Normal and pathologic growth of arterial smooth muscle]. 205 30


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