Vol. 5, Issue 1 (2016)

Author(s):
M Babu, Basetty Nagaraja, K Bhaskar Reddy

Abstract:
Atherosclerosis is the disease of the Arteries and specific form of arteriosclerosis, affecting primarily the intima of large and medium sized muscular arteries, characterised by formation of fibro fatty plaques and usually the inner lining of the artery is affected. Fatty materials deposit on the lining of the artery, forming a larger and larger mass which is called a plaque, causes more difficult for blood to flow through the artery, eventually the artery may close completely. If the plaque forms in an artery, it may block the flow of blood to the heart and leads to heart attack, if the plaque blocks in cerebral arteries it results a stroke and it can occur anywhere in the body. The Study is prospective and one Hundred hearts and aortas are examined from the different age groups of males and females, during the medico legal Autopsies. The study showed significantly the higher proportion of atherosclerosis in males than females and prevalence rate is increased as the age is increased and significant lesions are seen in chronic smokers, alcoholics and in non vegetarians.