Atheroma
An atheroma, or atheromatous plaque, is an abnormal accumulation of material in the inner layer of an arterial wall.
| Atheroma | |
|---|---|
| Other names | atheromata (plural), atheromas (plural), atheromatous plaque, plaque |
| Atherosclerotic plaque from a carotid endarterectomy specimen. This shows the division of the common into the internal and external carotid arteries. | |
| Specialty | Cardiology |
| Complications | Thrombosis, embolism, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis |
| Causes | Hyperlipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia |
The material consists of mostly macrophage cells, or debris, containing lipids, calcium and a variable amount of fibrous connective tissue. The accumulated material forms a swelling in the artery wall, which may intrude into the lumen of the artery, narrowing it and restricting blood flow. Atheroma is the pathological basis for the disease entity atherosclerosis, a subtype of arteriosclerosis.
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