Progression in atherosclerosis: histological features and pathophysiology of atherosclerotic lesions

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Pathology
• Histopathology
• Atherosclerosis Research

Background:

• Atherosclerosis involves complex histological and pathophysiological changes.
• Standardized terminology is crucial for consistent research and clinical practice.
• Existing classification systems for atherosclerotic lesions present challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a concise review of human atherosclerosis histology and pathophysiology.
• To discuss challenges in classifying atherosclerotic lesions.
• To present established and recent histological classification systems and plaque progression literature.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of histological and pathophysiological features of human atherosclerosis.
• Discussion of major classification systems (AHA, Virmani et al.).
• Overview of recent literature on plaque progression (lipid core, neovascularization).

Main Results:

• Basic descriptive terms for atherosclerosis remain, but classification systems have evolved.
• Difficulties exist in uniformly classifying atherosclerotic lesions.
• Key classification systems include those from the American Heart Association and Virmani et al.
• Recent research highlights plaque progression, lipid core enlargement, and neovascularization.

Conclusions:

• A uniform terminology for atherosclerotic lesions is essential for research.
• Understanding evolving classification systems aids accurate diagnosis and research.
• Recent findings on plaque progression offer insights into disease advancement.