The artery wall consists of three different layers. If the reader can picture a garden hose as representing the artery, it presents an innermost layer called the intima, a middle layer called the media, and an outer layer called the serosa.
The fats floating around in the blood stream are of course closest to the innermost layer of the artery, with which they are in direct contact. When conditions are right for atherosclerosis, the fats attach themselves and enter the inner or intima layer of the artery. A kind of lump on the artery is then formed, called a plaque of lat. When the plaque increases in size, it narrows the passageway of the artery. As it grows larger and larger, it may finally block or obstruct it partly or completely.
When this clogging or obstruction of the artery takes place in the vital coronary arteries of the heart, then a heart attack will occur in the victim. If the blockage from these fatty accumulations occurs in the brain, then a stroke hits the victim.
However, if the artery is only partially blocked by this build up of fatty plaques, then the vital organs supplied by the arteries suffer from a lack of the necessary amount of blood and nutriments contained in it to sustain normal function and health. Along with the fatty deposits of cholesterol, fatty acids, neutral fats, etc., which make up these atheromatous plaques, calcium and other minerals are also deposited. These make the artery feel hard, giving rise to the term commonly in use: “hardening of the arteries.” Actually we see a softening of the arteries which takes place first because of these fatty deposits. It is often noticed in many individuals that this fat will be circulating in the blood stream for hours after a meal containing fat has been eaten. The blood is then called lipemic, which means loaded with fats. When these fats are easily visible to the naked eye, scientists speak of such neutral fats as chylo-microns. These fats in the blood are regarded by many scientists to be as dangerous as is cholesterol, in entering the artery wall.
A great proportion of these fats in the blood is combined with proteins, called lipoproteins, which also have been the subject of research by many investigators. Scientists have only recently discovered by new tools of investigation that in these lipoproteins two separate portions can be measured: the alpha and the beta lipoproteins. The first have been shown to be protective against the development of atherosclerosis. They are found predominating in infants, children, and young women who have no evidence of atherosclerosis. On the other hand, the beta-lipoproteins have been found universally in excessive amounts in most cases of active atherosclerosis and so are called atherosclerosis producers or “atherogenic.” The protective alpha-lipoproteins are spoken of as “anti-atherogenic.” The problem of preventing atherosclerosis and its human ravages is the search for ways of increasing the protective alpha-lipoproteins.
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categories: Fat,Nutrition,Dieting,Weight Loss