Vessel injury, thrombosis and atherosclerosis

The body of evidence concerning endothelial cell injury and the development of atherosclerosis and its associated clinical complications is compatible with vessel injury being important not only in the thromboembolic events associated with the late stages of atherosclerosis but also with vessel injury being involved in the early stages of atherosclerosis. In addition, vessel injury may cause some episodes of coronary artery spasm. Spasm may cause some clinical manifestations of coronary artery disease and contribute to the formation of occlusive thrombi in diseased coronary arteries.At present, although there is some evidence that dietary saturated fat and cholesterol and smoking may be able to contribute to endothelial cell injury, the data are not strong enough to draw firm conclusions. It is clear, however, that reducing the risk of endothelial injury should have a significant impact on the development of atherosclerosis and the clinical complications caused by spasm and thrombosis.