PATH 300 Lecture Notes - Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Blood Pressure, Pseudoaneurysm

• School: McGill University
• Department: Pathology
• Course: PATH 300
• Professor: Edith Zorychta

Document Summary

Atherosclerosis is #1 cause of death in canada. It impairs supply of blood to organ, leading to. Peripheral vascular disease (impaired blood flow to legs for example) Pathological change in the wall of the artery. Intima- endothelial cells with some smooth muscle cells. The cells involved are the endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Starts early at 20 years old: early- fatty streak with some foam cells, onset- characterized by a variable fibrous plaque (not blocking, advanced lesion- narrowing of lumen and decrease in blood flow. Risk of complications including hemorrhage, ulceration, thrombosis blocking entire flow of blood: infarct if blood flow blocked to heart, brain, or periphery. Angina (chest pain due to ischemia of the heart, generally obstruction of coronary artery) Peripheral arterial disease (only feel pain if moving). Largely preventable, multifactorial risk (harder to determine the different components of risk). Key components were found to be endothelial dysfunction and chronic inflammation.