Inflammation and the Development of Atherosclerosis

Short-term therapy with simvastatin reduces inflammatory mediators and heart inflammation during the acute phase of experimental Chagas disease

“…With a new anti-inflammatory focus, studies have demonstrated a drastic reduction in leukocyte infiltration in the heart, fibrosis, circulating inflammatory cytokines/chemokines and improvements in cardiac output ventricular functions in Chagas disease (Morris et al 1989, Leon et al 2003, Botoni et al 2007, Coelho dos , Paula-Costa et al 2010. Because of these results, new therapeutic targets based on statins, a lipid-modifying agent HMG-CoA, have emerged as a method to prevent cardiovascular diseases (Liao 2002, Cheng et al 2005, Mizuno et al 2011. The clinical benefits of statins are thought to be associated with their ability to reduce cholesterol synthesis, but the product of their enzymatic reaction, mevalonate, is also a precursor of cholesterol and many non-steroidal isoprenoid compounds.…”

Serum Complement C3 Predicts Renal Arteriolosclerosis in Non-Diabetic Chronic Kidney Disease

“…ACE-Is, ARBs, and statins have all been shown to exert beneficial effects on vascular functions and to protect against atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events [43][44][45] . In our study, patients receiving ACE-Is, ARBs or statins had more severe arteriosclerosis than those who were not receiving these medications; serum C3 levels were also lower in the latter group.…”

Prevalence of carotid artery calcification on panoramic radiographs in patients with renal stones

“…Hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cigarette smoking, age, and sex are important risk factors for atherosclerosis (6). Recently, the relation has been determined between a history of kidney stones (KSs) and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in young adults, and this also adds more support to the theory that atherosclerosis and nephrolithiasis have common systemic risk factors and/or pathophysiology (8).…”

“…Atherosclerosis is a progressive disorder associated with vascular inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and deposition of lipids, cholesterol, cellular debris, and calcium within the intima of the vessel, and it is responsible for coronary and peripheral artery disease and stroke (6,7). Hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cigarette smoking, age, and sex are important risk factors for atherosclerosis (6).…”