Atheroma: From Anthropology to Molecular Biology

Atherosclerosis was found in humans who lived thousands years ago. Paleopathologist Marc Armand Ruffer (1859-1917) identified atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta as well as in several large arteries of numerous Egyptian mummies, noting that atherosclerosis was a widespread disease in antiquity. Rus...

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Main Authors: Ana Paula Marte Chacra, Anita L R Saldanha, Ana Paula Pantoja Margeotto, André Luis Valera Gasparoto, Tania Belluci
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Mauritius 2024-08-01
Series:Annals of Medicine and Medical Sciences
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Online Access:https://ammspub.com/index.php/amms/article/view/39
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author Ana Paula Marte Chacra
Anita L R Saldanha
Ana Paula Pantoja Margeotto
André Luis Valera Gasparoto
Tania Belluci
author_facet Ana Paula Marte Chacra
Anita L R Saldanha
Ana Paula Pantoja Margeotto
André Luis Valera Gasparoto
Tania Belluci
author_sort Ana Paula Marte Chacra
collection DOAJ
description Atherosclerosis was found in humans who lived thousands years ago. Paleopathologist Marc Armand Ruffer (1859-1917) identified atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta as well as in several large arteries of numerous Egyptian mummies, noting that atherosclerosis was a widespread disease in antiquity. Russian researchers tried to induce experimental atherosclerosis in an animal model, feeding laboratory animals with pure cholesterol. They demonstrated that cholesterol alone caused atherosclerotic lesions in the artery wall. Many studies have shown that blood cholesterol levels are largely determined by the amount of fat in the diet. The Study of the Seven Countries was the first epidemiological evidence that linked the increase in cholesterol to cardiovascular events. In the genetic approach, one of the first indications that coronary artery disease was related to cholesterol came from anecdotal case reports of children with xanthomas (large deposits of lipids just under the skin or attached to tendon sheaths, on the back of the hands or ankles), who had sudden death or myocardial infarction before the age of 10 years. The first cases of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia were described. The 2019 European Guideline, for example, considers for high-risk patients, a target LDL-c < 70 mg/dl and a reduction > 50% compared to baseline; for very high risk, a target LDL-c < 55 mg/dl and a reduction > 50% compared to baseline; and for patients with acute coronary syndrome, within a two-year period, a target LDL< 40 mg/dl. In order to achieve these more aggressive goals, the combination of drugs is necessary, especially in patients with eligibility criteria for the new lipid-lowering drugs, based on molecular biology techniques, in addition to an adequate clinical judgment.
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spelling doaj-art-e98c3195131f4b3b92332b2487ee7bbb2025-08-20T02:17:00ZengUniversity of MauritiusAnnals of Medicine and Medical Sciences1694-46742024-08-01485339Atheroma: From Anthropology to Molecular BiologyAna Paula Marte Chacra0Anita L R Saldanha1Ana Paula Pantoja Margeotto2André Luis Valera Gasparoto3Tania Belluci4Instituto do Coração (Incor) do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, BrazilNephrology Department, BP - A Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.Nephrology Department, BP - A Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.Intensive Care Unit, BP - A Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.Nephrology Department, BP - A Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.Atherosclerosis was found in humans who lived thousands years ago. Paleopathologist Marc Armand Ruffer (1859-1917) identified atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta as well as in several large arteries of numerous Egyptian mummies, noting that atherosclerosis was a widespread disease in antiquity. Russian researchers tried to induce experimental atherosclerosis in an animal model, feeding laboratory animals with pure cholesterol. They demonstrated that cholesterol alone caused atherosclerotic lesions in the artery wall. Many studies have shown that blood cholesterol levels are largely determined by the amount of fat in the diet. The Study of the Seven Countries was the first epidemiological evidence that linked the increase in cholesterol to cardiovascular events. In the genetic approach, one of the first indications that coronary artery disease was related to cholesterol came from anecdotal case reports of children with xanthomas (large deposits of lipids just under the skin or attached to tendon sheaths, on the back of the hands or ankles), who had sudden death or myocardial infarction before the age of 10 years. The first cases of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia were described. The 2019 European Guideline, for example, considers for high-risk patients, a target LDL-c < 70 mg/dl and a reduction > 50% compared to baseline; for very high risk, a target LDL-c < 55 mg/dl and a reduction > 50% compared to baseline; and for patients with acute coronary syndrome, within a two-year period, a target LDL< 40 mg/dl. In order to achieve these more aggressive goals, the combination of drugs is necessary, especially in patients with eligibility criteria for the new lipid-lowering drugs, based on molecular biology techniques, in addition to an adequate clinical judgment.https://ammspub.com/index.php/amms/article/view/39atheromalipoproteinsldl cholesterolancient medicineexperimental atherosclerosismolecular biologybrazil
spellingShingle Ana Paula Marte Chacra
Anita L R Saldanha
Ana Paula Pantoja Margeotto
André Luis Valera Gasparoto
Tania Belluci
Atheroma: From Anthropology to Molecular Biology
Annals of Medicine and Medical Sciences
atheroma
lipoproteins
ldl cholesterol
ancient medicine
experimental atherosclerosis
molecular biology
brazil
title Atheroma: From Anthropology to Molecular Biology
title_full Atheroma: From Anthropology to Molecular Biology
title_fullStr Atheroma: From Anthropology to Molecular Biology
title_full_unstemmed Atheroma: From Anthropology to Molecular Biology
title_short Atheroma: From Anthropology to Molecular Biology
title_sort atheroma from anthropology to molecular biology
topic atheroma
lipoproteins
ldl cholesterol
ancient medicine
experimental atherosclerosis
molecular biology
brazil
url https://ammspub.com/index.php/amms/article/view/39
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AT taniabelluci atheromafromanthropologytomolecularbiology