[Morphological aspects of the development and course of coronary atherosclerosis]

The study was undertaken to examine coronary arteries from 548 subjects aged 0-69 years who had died from various causes. It was shown that just within the first year of life there was a marked musculo-elastic hyperplasia of the arterial intima, which was of fibrous nature in adults. The changes in the intima contributed to the development of stenosing atherosclerosis. The atherosclerotic plaques of the coronary arteries showed extensive necrotic foci with their subsequent calcification ("lamina-like" type). Changes causing diminished plaque stenoses (ruptures or tears of their fibrous cover, infiltration of the latter with cellular elements, necroses and delipidization of the plaques) were common in the significantly stenosing atherosclerotic plaques.