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Atherosclerosis
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Atherosclerosis is a gradual process whereby hard cholesterol substances (plaques) are deposited in the walls of the arteries. Cholesterol plaques cause hardening of the artery walls and narrowing of the inner channel (lumen) of the artery. Arteries carry blood that is enriched with oxygen and nutrients to the vital organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys, and liver. Arteries ... transport blood to other tissues such as the fingers, toes, nerves, bones, skin, and muscles. Healthy arteries can deliver an ample supply of blood to the organs and tissues. In contrast, arteries that are narrowed by atherosclerosis have difficulty delivering blood to the parts of the body they supply.
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The Phase II PLASMA trial (Phospholipase Levels And Serological Markers of Atherosclerosis) was a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo- controlled trial that enrolled approximately 400 patients with stable coronary heart disease in the U.S. and Ukraine. Subjects were randomized to receive one of four different doses of A-002 or placebo for up to eight weeks. Patients ... received doctor-determined standard of care therapies. The primary endpoint, a reduction in secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) levels was achieved with a high degree of statistical significance. In addition, the results also demonstrated clinically meaningful as well as statistically significant decreases in cholesterol levels (LDL-C, non-HDL and total cholesterol) in patients with stable coronary heart disease. Clinically meaningful decreases in inflammation, as measured by levels of CRP, were also observed in the relevant patient population.
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Atherosclerosis typically has no symptoms until the later stages. Some people with atherosclerosis may experience chest pains (angina) or leg cramps (intermittent claudication) after short periods of exertion. These and other similar symptoms may develop gradually as the disease progresses. Obesity, rage, aggression, and stress are all associated to atherosclerosis as causes and/or symptoms.
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Atherosclerosis usually has no symptoms until the narrowed coronary arteries severely restrict blood flow to the heart. At this point, you may feel chest pain because not enough blood is reaching the heart. These pains may come with exertion, or can occur when the person is at rest.
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Atherosclerosis shows no symptoms until a complication (such as chest pain or a heart attack) occurs. For this reason, lifestyle choices such as achieving and maintaining a normal weight, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, and reducing stress, are all important steps in preventing atherosclerosis. Once a complication occurs... surgery and other Procedures may be required to remove plaque from clogged arteries or to create a detour around a blocked artery. Medications are often prescribed to lower cholesterol or blood pressure and to prevent an initial or recurrent complication. Healthy diets designed to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and excess body weight are essential in the treatment of atherosclerosis. Nutrition and dietary supplements, such as vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and folate (vitamin B9) may be effective when used in addition to certain medications.
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Atherosclerosis is thought to ... involve inflammation, because certain white blood cells—lymphocytes, monocytes, and macrophages—are present throughout the development of atherosclerosis. These cells usually gather only when inflammation develops. Atherosclerosis begins when monocytes are activated and move out of the bloodstream into the wall of an artery. There, they are transformed into foam cells, which collect cholesterol and other fatty materials. In time, these fat-laden foam cells accumulate. They form patchy deposits (atheromas) in the lining of the artery's wall, causing a thickening there.
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Atherosclerosis