Pathological Aspects on Treatments for Atheorsclerosis

Arterial lipoidosis, namely accumulation of foam cells into the aortic intima in cholesterol-fed rabbits was depressed and organized by proliferation of the cellulofibrous intimal tissue after high blood-cholesterol-level was lowered by interruption of the cholesterol-rich diet. Atheroma formed by disintegration of foam cells became to be small and granular deposits of calcium were scattered in atheroma. Marked proliferation of the smooth muscle cells was observed in the intima.In human arteries atheroma can be organized by the intimal tissue as similar as in the experiments. The smoth muscle cells played the leading parts in the organization of atheroma in the human arteries as well as in the arteries of the experimental animals.Unlike in the experiments, however, in the human regression of atheroma and recurrence of atheromatous lesions, such as appearance of many foam cells and insudation of blood plasma into the intima, were seen in the same artery.From the pathological point based on the above-mentioned microscopic findings about human and experimental atherosclerosis, the following things might be important on the treatments for atherosclerosis: 1) Removement and improvement of various risk factors for atherogenesis such as hypertension, disturbance of fat or carbohydrate metabolism, hypoxidosis, renal dysfunction and so on and 2) activation and maintenance of the function of the smooth muscle cells in the arterial wall.