Atherosclerosis In Western Progress

The formation of AS generally experiences a long and complex process involving several factors, which is common in infants and young children so-called fatty streak, and since then it has never stopped processing. AS occurs principally in large and medium-sized elastic and muscular arteries and can cause the blood vessel to be narrow and obstructed to varying degree, also can lead to the ischemia of the extremity of the blocked vessel and the necrosis of partial organization as well. Plaque rupture and thrombosis are notable complications of advanced lesions that lead to acute myocardial infarctions and other emergent clinical events. Clearly Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease and inflammation occupies a significant position through the growth of AS. A number of studies have proved that the stability of the plaque itself play a marvelous important role in the acute heart-brain vascular events rather than the traditional ideas of the narrowness of the vessel. Therefore it will have the most crucial significance to research deeply on the mechanisms and the factors of the vulnerable plaque, to seek for the strategy and the method to stable the plaque, to deduce the lethality of AS.The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has made certain achievements on the treatment and study of AS. TCM emphasizes much more on the adjustment of the whole function for the body, through the multi-ways, multi-links, and multi-targets comprehensive intervention,TCM surely has its potential treatment advantage to stable the vulnerable plaque.With the in-depth study of inflammatory mechanism, TCM also explore a new practice.This paper has made a systematic review on the formation and progression of AS, and the factors that induce and promote inflammation or atherogenesis to increase the rupture of plaque. Meanwhile, TCM studies the pathogenesis of AS by determination of treatment based on differentiation of symptoms and signs. Under the guidance of the TCM theory, the TCM researchers have proposed a new theory of blood and poisonous to promote blood circulation and remove toxic subsances for the stability of vulnerable plaque.