###### Created: 2022-04-25 12:12 ###### Areas & Topics: #medicine #cardiovascular #hypertension ###### Note Type: #permanent ###### Connected to: [[The Heart]] [[Hypertension]] [[2.01 LO 3 Notion Notes]] - An atheroma is the fatty material which can form deposits in the walls of arteries - A thromboembolism is an obstruction of a blood vessel by a blood clot that has become dislodged from another site in the circulation. - Formation of atheromas leads to the development of atherosclerosis. Pathogensis: 1) The artery wall endothelium becomes damaged. 2) Cholesterol accumulates and oxidises, causing an inflammatory response. 3) Monocytes enter the artery wall, becoming macrophages and attempt to digest the cholesterol. 4) After digesting the cholesterol, the macrophages become foam cells. 5) The foam cells then degenerate and release their contents, forming atheromas. 6) Calcium salts and fiborus tissue accumulate within the arethroma, forming a hard plaque. 7) Artery wall elasticity then becomes reduced and the vessel lumen narrows, increasing blood pressure. 8) The plaque endothelium eventually ruptures, exposing collagen (known as a collagen cap). 9) Platelets come into contact with the exposed collagen and become sticky, forming a platelet plug 10) This platelet plug becomes a blood clot: - Thromboplastin is released, converting prothrombin to thrombin - Thrombin then converts soluble fibrinogen in the blood into insoluble fibrin - The insoluble fibrin forms a fibrin mesh 11) The fibrin mesh traps blood cells, forming a thrombus (blood clot) N.B. parts of the thrombus (blood clot) breaking off and becoming lodged elsewhere is what forms a thromboembolism ### Sources