Atherosclerosis: Treatment and Prevention PDF

Preface

Despite all innovations in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, cardiovascular diseases as a consequence of atherosclerosis remain the leading cause for mortality and morbidity in industrial countries. Traditionally, atherosclerosis was attributed to progressive narrowing of the artery lumen owing to hyperlipidemia. It is now clear that the vascular wall is a site of chronic inflammation, resulting from complex interactions between the environment and the genetic make-up of the host. Over the past years, a tremendous number of preclinical studies have revealed novel aspects of the disease pathophysiology, and the feasibility of translating such knowledge to novel therapeutic approaches is currently being explored at various levels. This volume builds a bridge between the various aspects of recent advances of our understanding of the disease mechanisms underlying atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis and possible clinical applications that might derive from there.