Review: the physiological and computational approaches for atherosclerosis treatment

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases represent a significant global health burden, particularly conditions linked to arterial malfunction.
• Atherosclerosis, characterized by plaque buildup in arteries, is a primary driver of these conditions.
• The progression from atherosclerotic plaque to arterial thrombosis poses a severe clinical challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the physiological mechanisms linking atherosclerosis to platelet aggregation and thrombosis.
• To discuss current physiological and computational approaches for managing this pathological progression.
• To highlight the role of interventions like percutaneous coronary intervention and stent design.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of physiological mechanisms of thrombosis.
• Analysis of computational modeling techniques in cardiovascular interventions.
• Examination of percutaneous coronary intervention and stent design in mitigating thrombotic events.

Main Results:

• Detailed explanation of the transition from atherosclerotic plaque formation to platelet aggregation and thrombus development.
• Overview of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting the atherosclerotic-thrombotic cascade.
• Discussion on the application of computational modeling for optimizing stent design and intervention outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the physiological cascade from atherosclerosis to thrombosis is crucial for developing effective treatments.
• Physiological and computational approaches offer promising avenues for detecting, evaluating, and mitigating thrombotic progression.
• Interventional strategies, including percutaneous coronary intervention and advanced stent design, play a vital role in managing cardiovascular disease progression.