Atherosclerosis-know your risk-is it time for a paradigm shift?

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is a form of arteriosclerosis characterized by the deposition of atheromatous plaques containing cholesterol and lipids on the innermost layer of the walls of large and medium-sized arteries. People with atherosclerosis have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke. Modification of traditional risk factors, such as smoking cessation, decreasing blood pressure, and lowering of cholesterol in high-risk individuals, has resulted in reducing CVD and stroke remarkably. However, the current standard of care using traditional modifiable risk factors alone is frequently inadequate to identify some individuals with atherosclerosis. Therefore, it is important to not rely solely on risk factor modification when assessing for CVD, but also to incorporate a disease platform. A new paradigm focusing on the disease itself (atherosclerosis) is necessary. This article will review the tools necessary to identify disease and will examine why it is critical to know the cause of the disease and to develop a treatment plan to eradicate it.