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An atheroma is an accumulation and swelling in artery walls that is made up of cells that contain lipids (cholesterol and fatty acids), calcium and a variable amount of fibrous connective tissue. In the context of heart or artery matters, atheromata are commonly referred to as atheromatous plaques. It is an unhealthy condition, but is found in most humans.
Over time, atheromata usually progress in size and thickness and induce the surrounding muscular central region of the artery to stretch out, termed remodeling, typically just enough to compensate for their size such that the caliber of the artery remains unchanged until typically over 40-50% of the artery wall cross sectional area consists of atheromatous tissue.
If the muscular wall enlargement eventually fails to keep up with the enlargement of the atheroma volume, then the lumen of the artery begins to narrow, commonly as a result of repeated ruptures of the covering tissues separating the atheroma from the blood stream (can cause thrombosis...blod clot). This becomes a more common event after decades of living, increasingly more common after people are over 40 years old.
Over time, atheromata usually progress in size and thickness and induce the surrounding muscular central region of the artery to stretch out, termed remodeling, typically just enough to compensate for their size such that the caliber of the artery remains unchanged until typically over 40-50% of the artery wall cross sectional area consists of atheromatous tissue.
If the muscular wall enlargement eventually fails to keep up with the enlargement of the atheroma volume, then the lumen of the artery begins to narrow, commonly as a result of repeated ruptures of the covering tissues separating the atheroma from the blood stream (can cause thrombosis...blod clot). This becomes a more common event after decades of living, increasingly more common after people are over 40 years old.
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