Progressive atherosclerosis in central India - A modern epidemic

Abstract

Background: Atherosclerosis is the commonest and the most important of the arterial diseases commonly affecting aorta, coronaries and cerebral arterial systems. Objective: The present study was planned to know the prevalence of atherosclerosis in population of central India. Methods: The study duration was of 2 years from October 2006 to October 2008 & it includes 120 medicolegal postmortem cases. The atherosclerotic lesions if present in ascending aorta were noted. Related sections were taken from the areas for histopathological study. The major coronary arteries were sectioned transversely by sharp knife at intervals of not more than 0.3 cm as well as longitudinally and morphological lesions were noted. In each case sections were taken from coronary arteries and sent for histopathological study. Results & Conclusion: Overall prevalence of atherosclerosis was 74.2%. The percentage of affected arteries has shown a significantly rising trend with age, being highest in 60 and above age group (89.00%) and lowest in 10-19 years age group i.e.17.85%. The differences were also statistically significant. Males were affected more than females in all age groups. Advanced lesions were observed as early as in 3rd decade. As age advances more number of subjects was affected with atherosclerosis.

Keywords

• Atherosclerosis
• Prevalence
• Coronary arteries
• Ascending aorta