[Atherosclerosis. Old problem, new perspectives].
Atherosclerosis is the major cause of mortality in the population of the, so called, developed countries of western culture. Since the first half of this century, hypercholesterolemia was the hallmark for the investigation of atherosclerosis, improving the level of knowledge about the complex metabolism of lipoproteins. The occurrence of atherosclerosis in normolipidaemic subjects, and the relationship between this illness, other dysmetabolic features and certain infectious agents, led to the reformulation, in the last decade, of the pathophysiological archtypes, atherosclerosis was included in the group of the inflammatory processes. The inflammatory response to aggression of the arterial wall is the innovative issue of atherosclerosis investigation and laboratory follow-up in the new millennium.
Cortez
J
J
Departamento de Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans