title: Plaque instability in peripheral vessels.
abstract: Vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques, those that are prone to rupture, are soft and lipid rich. Other factors that contribute to destabilizing these plaques are inflammation and vasoconstriction. Although less information is available regarding noncoronary vulnerable plaques than the more frequently studied coronary plaques, it appears that the amount of soft lipid "gruel" as well as in situ inflammation plays a crucial role in destabilizing peripheral vascular atherosclerotic plaque, eventually causing its rupture. As in the coronary circulation, it is likely that the majority of acute plaque rupture events are clinically silent. Nevertheless, preventing plaque rupture in the noncoronary circulation is of the utmost importance because this is the presumed mechanism of progression of peripheral vascular atherosclerotic lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA 70121, USA.
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001775:Blood Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D005167:Factor VII / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D005167:Factor VII