Atherosclerosis: A Journey around the Terminology

Abstract

The term atherosclerosis underwent a tedious pathway to arrive at its current status and interpretation. Furthermore, terms such as atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis and arteriolosclerosis appear similar and are misused interchangeably. This chapter highlighted the various terminologies linked with atherosclerosis. This chapter highlighted how the terminology of atherosclerosis evolved and, also, the various classifications, e.g., atherosclerosis, Monckeberg calcific sclerosis and arteriolosclerosis, and gave mention to the differences among them.

Osteopontin and osteoprotegerin in atherosclerotic plaque – are they significant markers of plaque vulnerability?

“…More than 100 years after the first accepted definition [ 1 ], atherosclerosis (ATS) is still considered as a major, global health problem [ 2 ]. The outlining usually used for this chronic condition includes the following characteristics: it is a prominent cause of vascular disease, the main clinical manifestations are ischemic heart disease, stroke and peripheral arterial disease, and the key pathological feature is the thickening of the arterial wall [ 1 ].…”

“…More than 100 years after the first accepted definition [ 1 ], atherosclerosis (ATS) is still considered as a major, global health problem [ 2 ]. The outlining usually used for this chronic condition includes the following characteristics: it is a prominent cause of vascular disease, the main clinical manifestations are ischemic heart disease, stroke and peripheral arterial disease, and the key pathological feature is the thickening of the arterial wall [ 1 ]. The concept of atherosclerotic burden was introduced and agreed due to the impact of the disease on the general population, based on its predictive power for critical cardiovascular outcomes, followed by threatening complications and an increase rate of mortality [ 2 , 3 ].…”