Atheroma formation

• Atheromas - Fibrous plaques made of fatty material which narrow the lumen of arteries
• Atheromas occur when the lining of the artery (endothelium) is damaged usually by high blood pressure

  • White blood cells and platelets arrive to try and repair the damage
  • They clump together with lipids from the blood to form fatty streaks under the lining
  • Over time more and more build up and harden to form a fibrous plaque - an atheroma
• The atheroma partially blocks the lumen of the artery and restricts blood flow, this increases the blood pressure which in turn can cause more atheromas to form