Atherosclerosis

4 Pages 969 Words

One of the many diseases in which fat and plaque builds up in the large and medium sized arteries is called atherosclerosis. This dangerous buildup of plaque may slow down or stop blood flow through the vessels, which is a contributing factor in heart disease. As the vessels narrow from plaque buildup, the heart must work overtime to circulate the blood through the body.

Cardiovascular disease, also called coronary heart disease, includes several problematic conditions of the heart, arteries and veins. Disruption of these highways of life within the body can limit the supply of oxygen to many important organs. If an organ does not receive the necessary oxygen, it can be permanently damaged, or actually die.

Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, research aimed at understanding the causes of this disease could significantly improve life expectancy, as well as the quality of life for those that must deal with the complications of living with heart disease. In addition, millions of dollars in health care costs could be saved annually.

Relatively recent research has linked infection with certain bacteria to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Two bacteria that have been associated with these diseases are Chlamydia pneumoniae, which causes upper respiratory infection, and Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria responsible for some types of peptic ulcers.

Researchers at the University of Helsinki in Finland discovered that many heart attack patients also had a large number of C. pneumoniae antibodies, suggesting a large immune response. The inflammatory response brought about by the bacteria causes damage to the blood vessels, which further causes plaque to form along the vessel wall. The plaque buildup can eventually shut off the blood supply, or break loose and travel directly to the heart and cause a heart attack, or to the brain and cause a stroke.

Helicobacter pylori has also...