December 8, 2015

Did you know that the material in an atheroma is mostly macrophages (white blood cells)? When a person consumes a high amount of cholesterol, it can trigger an inflammatory response within the intima, the inner wall of an artery. White blood cells attempt to digest the cholesterol and become foam cells. The foam cells then die and release their contents along the artery wall, forming the atheroma (deposits along an artery's wall). The material hardens into a plaque, leading to a narrower lumen and higher blood pressure.