Atherosclerosis originating from childhood:Specific features

Atherosclerosis is extremely widespread.Traditionally,it is considered a disease of older people,who most often experience problems with the heart and blood vessels.While much attention from the scientific community has been paid to studying the association between aging and atherosclerosis,as well as its consequences,there is evidence that atherosclerosis occurs at an early age.Atherosclerosis may form both during intrauterine development and in childhood.Nutrition plays an important role in childhood atherosclerosis,along with previous infectious diseases and excess weight of both the child and the mother.In the present review,we examined the development of atherosclerosis and the prerequisites in childhood.

Update on evidence-based clinical application of sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitors:Insight to uncommon cardiovascular disease scenarios in diabetes

In this paper,we concentrate on updating the clinical research on sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitors(SGLTis)for patients with type 2 diabetes who have heart failure with a preserved injection fraction,acute heart failure,atrial fibrillation,primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease/cardiovascular disease,and acute myocardial infarction.We searched the data of randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses of SGLTis in patients with diabetes from PubMed between January 1,2020 and April 6,2024 for our review.According to our review,certain SGLTis(empagliflozin,dapagliflozin,canagliflozin,and tofogliflozin),but not sodium-glucose cotransporter 1 inhibitor(SGLT1i),exhibit relatively superior clinical safety and effectiveness for treating the abovementioned diseases.Proper utilization of SGLTis in these patients can foster clinical improvement and offer an alternative medication option.However,clinical trials involving SGLTis for certain diseases have relatively small sample sizes,brief intervention durations,and conclusions based on weak evidence,necessitating additional data.These findings are significant and valuable for providing a more comprehensive reference and new possibilities for the clinical utilization and scientific exploration of SGLTis.

Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease from the Perspective of Liver Controlling Dispersion

The liver is in charge of distributing and regulating the movement of qi throughout the whole body,coordinating the transportation and transformation of the internal organs in the middle part of the body,promoting the biochemical circulation of qi,blood,and body fluids,and regulating emotions.Liver dysfunction can disrupt the transportation and transformation of qi,blood,and body fluids,causing phlegm turbidity,blood stasis,and other unwanted symptoms.Poor regulation of emotion further aggravates the accumulation of pathological substances,resulting in the obstruction of heart vessels,and ultimately coronary heart disease(CHD).Through regulating lipid metabolism,inflammatory reaction,vasoactive substances,platelet function,neuroendocrine,and other factors,liver controlling dispersing qi plays a comprehensive role in the prognosis of atherosclerosis,the primary cause of CHD.Therefore,it is recommended to treat CHD from the perspective of liver-controlling dispersion.

Oxidative stress:New insights on the association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and atherosclerosis

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) represents the most common and emerging chronic liver disease worldwide. It includes a wide spectrum of liver diseasesranging from simple fatty liver to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH),which may progress to fibrosis and more severe liver complications such as cirrhosis,hepatocellular carcinoma and liver mortality. NAFLD is strongly associated with obesity,insulin resistance,hypertension,and dyslipidaemia,and is now regarded as the liver manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. The increased mortality of patients with NAFLD is primarily a result of cardiovascular disease and,to a lesser extent,to liver related diseases. Increased oxidative stress has been reported in both patients with NAFLD and patient with cardiovascular risk factors. Thus,oxidative stress represents a shared pathophysiological disorder between the two conditions. Several therapeutic strategies targeting oxidative stress reduction in patients with NAFLD have been proposed,with conflicting results. In particular,vitamin E supplementation has been suggested for the treatment of non-diabetic,non-cirrhotic adults with active NASH,although this recommendation is based only on the results of a single randomized controlled trial. Other antioxidant treatments suggested are resveratrol,silybin,L-carnitine and pentoxiphylline. No trial so far,has evaluated the cardiovascular effects of antioxidant treatment in patients with NAFLD. New,large-scale studies including as end-point also the assessment of the atherosclerosis markers are needed.

Chronic hepatitis C,atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease: What impact of direct-acting antiviral treatments?

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with extrahepatic manifestations, among these there is an increased risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease as well as an increased cardiovascular mortality. Several direct and indirect HCV pro-atherogenic mechanisms have been proposed. HCV lives and replicates within carotid plaques, promoting a local environment of pro-atherogenic factors. In addition, it causes conditions such as insulin resistance, diabetes, hepatic steatosis, cryoglobulinemia and endotoxinemia that are associated with the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Therapeutic regimens based on direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA) are currently available with high efficacy in HCV clearance and improvement of liver disease, but does HCV eradication also improve atherosclerosis and the risk of cardiovascular disease? Recently, a multi-center study has shown that elimination of HCV improves carotid atherosclerosis. Two studies have shown that DAA treatments significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. Several studies have assessed the impact of HCV clearance on pro-atherosclerosis metabolic conditions showing improvement in cardiovascular risk biomarkers, disappearance or improvement of insulin resistance, reduction of risk of developing diabetes and improvement of glycemic control. There are also evidences that HCV clearance promotes the recovery of cytokines and inflammatory markers associated with atherosclerosis and the disappearance of cryoglobulinemia. Available data show that clearance of HCV by DAAs is associated with an improvement in atherosclerosis and metabolic and immunological conditions that promote the development of cardiovascular disease. However, the data are not sufficient to allow definitive conclusions and further studies will be needed to definitively clarify the impact of HCV clearance on atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.

Ultrasound screening of multifocal atherosclerosis: markers for coronary heart disease

Background and Objective The frequency of multifocal atherosclerosis (MFA) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) has not been thoroughly studied. The purpose of our study was to perform ultrasound screening for MFA in patients with coronary atherosclerosis and make evaluation of the sensitivity and significance of different atherosclerosis markers. Methods Using Color Dupplex Ultrasound (CDU), we studied 32 clinically healthy persons and 87 patients of the city of B with clinical data for CHD where we also performed coronarography. Results In patients with coronary atherosclerosis we found high frequency of carotid atherosclerosis (93%) and peripheral artery disease (PAD) (81%). We established verifiable thickening of the intima-media (IMT) of the common carotid artery (CCA) and common femoral artery (CFA) in patients with CHD. There is a correlation between the frequency of carotid and femoral stenoses and CHD proven by coronarography. Patients with CHD had a high relative risk to develop carotid (RR = 5) and peripheral atherosclerosis (RR=3.5) and high frequency of asymptomatic stenoses and thromboses of the internal carotid artery (86.9%) and femoral artery (78.3%), as well as aneurisms of the abdominal aorta (8.1%). Markers for CAD with high sensitivity were the atherosclerotic plaques of ICA (0.93) and CFA (0.81) as well as IMT of the CFA (0.84). Conclusions MFA are common among patients with CHD. Ultrasound diagnosis is the method of choice for simultaneous non-invasive screening of carotid, peripheral and MFA and provides sensitive markers for coronary atherosclerosis. The most sensitive and specific markers for CHD are the combination of the IMT and atherosclerotic plaques of CCA, ICA and CFA (100% sensitivity and 0.92 specificity).

Accelerated Atherosclerosis in Takayasu Disease: Case-Control Study

Aim: The aim of our study was to evaluate the atherosclerosis prevalence in Takayasu’s disease. Patients and Method: We analyzed prospectively in a case-control study a group of 64 patients with Takayasu disease aged 41 years [±11.94], a group of 50 rhumatoide arthritis (RA) patients. All women aged 45 years [±10.27] and a control group with an average age of 44 years [±12.63]. We performed a measurement of the intima-media thickness (IMT) in carotid level and we looked for the presence of carotid, aortic and femoral atheroma. Results: We found more plaques of atheroma in the Takayasu group;the carotid intima-media thickness was significantly higher in the Takayasu group and the RA group compared with the control group. The mean IMT of the Takayasu group was 0.91 mm [±0.368]. It was 0.76 mm [±0.151] for the RA group. And 0.71 mm [±0.141] for the controls. (P: 0.000). CRP > 12 mg was identified as the most strongly associated with the development of accelerated atherosclerosis in Takayasu’s disease and RA (p: 0.002) with an odds ratio of 14.5 (IC: 95%). Conclusion: The high prevalence of atherosclerosis discovered in Takayasu’s disease is not explained by the traditional vascular risk factors. It is not also explained by the corticoids and immuno-suppression treatments. The systemic inflammation associated with parietal local inflammation, observed in Takayasu arteritis appears to be responsible of premature and accelerated atherosclerosis.

Leg Atherosclerosis in Japanese COPD Patients: Prevalence of Undiagnosed Peripheral Artery Disease and Association between Leg Atherosclerosis and Clinical Indices

Introduction: Several studies have suggested that decreased FEV1 is associated with cardiovascular risk in COPD patients. Objective: To identify the prevalence of undiagnosed peripheral artery disease (PAD) and the relationship between leg atherosclerosis and clinical indices, which predict COPD mortality in Japanese COPD patients. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study in 51 COPD patients and 51 age-matched, healthy control smokers. We measured ankle-brachial index (ABI) as a marker of atherosclerosis of the legs, pulmonary function, body mass index, modified Medical Research Council (MMRC) dyspnea scale, and smoking pack-years. We also calculated the ADO index (Age, Dyspnea, and Obstruction), an established predictor of mortality in COPD patients. Co-morbidities including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia were identified from blood laboratory tests and medical records. Results: Five subjects (9.8%) had an ABI 0.9. ABI was significantly lower in the COPD patients than in the healthy control smokers (p 0.05). The prevalence of PAD was marginally higher in COPD patients than in control smokers (p = 0.09), with the prevalence of ABI 1.0 being significantly higher in COPD patients than in control smokers (p = 0.04). In the COPD patients, ABI showed significant correlations with age (p = 0.006), FEV1 (p = 0.004), smoking pack-years (p = 0.047), MMRC dyspnea scale (p = 0.0005), SaO2 (p = 0.001), andADOindex (p 0.001). Multiple linear regression modeling showed the factors associated independently with ABI were age, FEV1, smoking pack-years, MMRC dyspnea scale, and SaO2. Conclusion: The risk of leg atherosclerosis in Japanese COPD patients is higher than in smokers without COPD. Leg atherosclerosis in COPD patients is associated with clinical indices that predict COPD mortality.

Japanese Atherosclerosis Society Guidelines for Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases

Death due to cardiovascular diseases including those related to atherosclerosis,particularly myocardial infarction,and cerebrovascular accidents,particularly cerebral infarction and stroke,have accounted for a high percentage of death cause,reaching 30%,along with cancer in the mortality statistics of Japanese.

Anti-cytomegalovirus antibodies and other atherosclerosis risk factors in patients with cardiovascular diseases

Objective To determine anti-cytomegalovirus(CMV) antibodies along with anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae(CP) antibodies in comparison with inflammatory markers and other risk factors of atherosclerosis in patients with selected cardiovascular diseases(CVD) . Methods A total of 228 patients with coronary heart disease(CHD) and/or hyperten-sion(HT) ,and those who underwent reconstructive vascular surgery(RVS) on carotids or abdominal aorta were tested for the presence of anti-CMV IgG and IgM antibodies as well as for anti-CP IgA antibodies,C-reactive protein(CRP) ,and interleukin-6(IL-6) . Other risk factors for atherosclerosis,namely age,gender,smoking,hypercholesterolemia,and diabetes mellitus were also analyzed. Results Anti-CMV IgG antibodies were found in 204 patients sera(89.5%) ,compared with 46 positive of 68 sera in the controls(67.6%) ,whereas anti-CMV IgM antibodies were detected in 4 of 54 sera of patients tested(7.4%) ,but not in the controls. The highest proportion of positive sera with not only anti-CMV IgG antibodies(95.6.7%) ,but also anti-CP IgA antibodies(78.3%) ,IL-6(84.8%) and CRP(97.8%) ,was observed in patients with RVS. The results obtained corresponded to age,hypercholesterolemia,and diabetes. Conclusions The presence of anti-CMV antibodies together with antibodies to CP and markers of inflammation(CRP and IL-6) in our study was associated with CVD,primarily in elderly patients who underwent RVS.

Ultrasound features of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with coronary heart disease and their correlation with disease severity

Objective:To study the ultrasound features of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with coronary heart disease and their correlation with disease severity. Methods:180 patients with coronary heart disease treated in our hospital between December 2010 and December 2015 were collected as observation group and divided into single-vessel disease group (n=50), double-vessel disease group (n=72) and triple-vessel disease group (n=58) according to the degree of coronary artery stenosis;50 healthy subjects receiving physical examination in our hospital during the same period were selected as control group. Carotid ultrasound was used to measure carotid atherosclerosis parameters, cardiac color Doppler ultrasound was used to detect cardiac function parameters, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect serum endothelial function indexes, and Pearson test was used to analyze the correlation between carotid ultrasound parameters and the cardiac function as well as endothelial function. Results:Carotid ultrasound parameters stiffness (β), elastic modulus (Ep), arterial compliance (AC) and pulse wave velocity (PWVβ) value of observation group were higher than those of control group, and with the increase of coronary artery lesion severity, the changes ofβ, Ep, AC and PWVβvalue increased (P<0.05);cardiac function parameters left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) and left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD) value of observation group were higher than those of control group while left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) value was lower than that of control group, and with the increase of coronary artery lesion severity, the changes of LVEDD, LVESD and LVEF value increased (P<0.05);endothelial function indexes endothelin-1 (ET-1) and von willebrand factor (vWF) levels of observation group were higher than those of control group while nitric oxide (NO) level was lower than that of control group, and with the increase of coronary artery lesion severity, the changes of ET-1, vWF and NO levels increased (P<0.05). Carotid ultrasound parameterβ, Ep, AC and PWVβvalue in patients with coronary heart disease were directly correlated with the levels of cardiac function parameters and endothelial function indexes. Conclusions:The ultrasound parameter levels of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with coronary heart disease are directly correlated with the disease severity and can be used as the noninvasive and reliable means for early judgment of the disease.

Metaheuristics with Deep Learning Empowered Biomedical Atherosclerosis Disease Diagnosis and Classification

Atherosclerosis diagnosis is an inarticulate and complicated cognitive process.Researches on medical diagnosis necessitate maximum accuracy and performance to make optimal clinical decisions.Since the medical diagnostic outcomes need to be prompt and accurate,the recently developed artificial intelligence(AI)and deep learning(DL)models have received considerable attention among research communities.This study develops a novel Metaheuristics with Deep Learning Empowered Biomedical Atherosclerosis Disease Diagnosis and Classification(MDL-BADDC)model.The proposed MDL-BADDC technique encompasses several stages of operations such as pre-processing,feature selection,classification,and parameter tuning.Besides,the proposed MDL-BADDC technique designs a novel Quasi-Oppositional Barnacles Mating Optimizer(QOBMO)based feature selection technique.Moreover,the deep stacked autoencoder(DSAE)based classification model is designed for the detection and classification of atherosclerosis disease.Furthermore,the krill herd algorithm(KHA)based parameter tuning technique is applied to properly adjust the parameter values.In order to showcase the enhanced classification performance of the MDL-BADDC technique,a wide range of simulations take place on three benchmarks biomedical datasets.The comparative result analysis reported the better performance of the MDL-BADDC technique over the compared methods.

Influence of periodontitis and nonsurgical periodontal intervention on atherosclerosis diseases

Objective: Periodontitis and atherosclerosis diseases are chronic inflammatory disorders which are highly prevalent in populations. Nonsurgical periodontal intervention belongs to the initial therapy strategy to periodontal diseases. Periodontal pathogen can enter into blood stream through the ulceration epithelial resulting in bacteraemia when periodontitis is severe. The objective is to investigate the relationship between periodontitis and atherosclerosis diseases, and the influence of nonsurgical periodontal intervention on atheroma and atherosclerosis diseases. Methods: This study reviewed and analyzed the papers which published in the world associated with periodontitis or periodontal intervention on atherosclerosis diseases. Results: Periodontitis and periodontal infectious are important risk factors for atherosclerotic diseases. Much evidence has proved the durative severe periodontitis can result in bacteraemia and systemic inflammation, elevated C-response protein in serum, gingival microcirculation changed, periodontal microorganism reproduced, and endothelial dys-function and endocarditis. Nonsurgical periodontal intervention can remove the pathogenesis bacteria and calculus to recover periodontal health. Effective periodontal therapy can reduce bacteraemia and stop the hurt to vessels. Nonsurgical periodontal therapy may interfere periodontal bacteria, inhibit inflammation response and C-response protein, improving gingival microcirculation and vessel epithelial function to prevent atherosclerosis. Conclusion: Nonsurgical periodontal intervention can improve or decrease the rate of atherosclerotic disease by interfere the severe periodontitis. The detailed mechanism of periodontal intervention on atheroma and atherosclerotic disease is still need to be explored.

Circle of Willis atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and the Dean number

The important role of atherosclerosis in pathophysiology of Alzheimer's Disease has become evident.Mechanisms such as hyperlipidemia,inflammation,abdominal obesity and insulin resistance are important yet they may not fully explain the specific involvement of the Circle of Willis in these pathologies.The Circle of Wills is a complex geometrical structure which has several areas with different curvature as well as various branching angles of vessels composing the circle.The hemodynamics in this region should take into account the Dean number which indicates the influence of curvature on the resistance to blood flow.Thus,areas with various curvature and angles may have different hemodynamics and there are certain areas in the Circle of Willis that are more likely to develop atherosclerotic changes.Therefore,this could suggest the novel pathophysiological pathway resulting from the geometric peculiarities of the Circle of Willis.One of the directions of future research is to examine whether specific areas of the Circle of Willis are more likely to develop atherosclerotic changes compared to other ones.Selective areas of the Circle of Willis affected by atherosclerotic changes could indicate the primary role of atherosclerosis promoting Alzheimer's disease although other pathophysiological mechanisms suggesting the opposite direction should be also examined in prospective studies.

Novel wine in an old bottle:Preventive and therapeutic potentials of andrographolide in atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease(ASCVD)frequently results in sudden death and poses a serious threat to public health worldwide.The drugs approved for the prevention and treatment of ASCVD are usually used in combination but are inefficient owing to their side effects and single therapeutic targets.Therefore,the use of natural products in developing drugs for the prevention and treatment of ASCVD has received great scholarly attention.Andrographolide(AG)is a diterpenoid lactone compound extracted from Andrographis paniculata.In addition to its use in conditions such as sore throat,AG can be used to prevent and treat ASCVD.It is different from drugs that are commonly used in the prevention and treatment of ASCVD and can not only treat obesity,diabetes,hyperlipidaemia and ASCVD but also inhibit the pathological process of atherosclerosis(AS)including lipid accumulation,inflammation,oxidative stress and cellular abnormalities by regulating various targets and pathways.However,the pharmacological mechanisms of AG underlying the prevention and treatment of ASCVD have not been corroborated,which may hinder its clinical development and application.Therefore,this review summarizes the physiological and pathological mechanisms underlying the development of ASCVD and the in vivo and in vitro pharmacological effects of AG on the relative risk factors of AS and ASCVD.The findings support the use of the old pharmacological compound(‘old bottle’)as a novel drug(‘novel wine’)for the prevention and treatment of ASCVD.Additionally,this review summarizes studies on the availability as well as pharmaceutical and pharmacokinetic properties of AG,aiming to provide more information regarding the clinical application and further research and development of AG.

Optimization of the pharmacological therapy in patients with polyvascular disease: A multidisciplinary approach

The recent shift of the concept of cardiovascular disease as a chronic progressive condition,potentially involving multiple districts,has driven attention to the optimal management of patients with concomitant coronary and peripheral artery disease,representing a subset of patients with an increased risk of events and impaired survival.Recent pharmacological achievements in terms of antithrombotic therapy and lipid-lowering drugs allow multiple therapeutical combinations,thus requiring optimizing the treatment in a tailored fashion according to patients’risk profiles.Nevertheless,data dedicated to this specific subset of patients are still modest.We summarize currently available strategies and indications for the management of antithrombotic and lipid-lowering drugs in patients with the poly-vascular disease.

Diffuse arterial atherosclerosis presenting with acute ischemic gastritis: A case report

BACKGROUND Ischemic gastritis is a clinically rare disease with high mortality that infrequently reported in the medical literature and under-recognized clinically and histopatho-logically.Early diagnosis and treatment can only be achieved through upper gastrointestinal endoscopy after symptoms appear.CASE SUMMARY A 68-year-old woman with a history of intracranial aneurysm developed dizziness,chest tightness and unconsciousness for 2 d.Computed tomography angiography showed diffuse coronary atherosclerosis,moderate to severe stenosis in the proximal end of the left anterior descending branch,multiple calcified plaques in the proximal end of the circumflex branch and right coronary artery,and mild to moderate stenosis.The patient also developed diffuse atherosclerosis in the splenic and mesenteric arteries,with mild lumen stenosis and athero-sclerosis in the abdominal aorta and its branches.Endoscopy showed submucosal congestion and damage of the entire gastric mucosa,of which the fundus and body of the stomach were most seriously affected.The mucosa was swollen,with a deep purple color,surface erosion and dark red oozing blood.Pathological examination showed bleeding and necrosis of the gastric mucosa,with residual contours of the gastric glands,consistent with ischemic gastritis.CONCLUSION Ischemic gastritis is a rare disease that may be difficult to diagnose as its symptoms may be similar to those of other gastrointestinal diseases.Diagnosis is usually based on endoscopic and pathological examinations,which show insufficient blood supply to the gastric mucosa leading to mucosal damage and necrosis.

Plant-based diet and its effect on coronary artery disease:A narrative review

Coronary artery disease(CAD),a primary component of cardiovascular diseases,is one of the top contributors to mortality rates worldwide.In 2021,dietary risk was estimated to be attributed to 6.58 million cardiovascular deaths.Plant-based diets(PBDs),which encourage higher consumption of plant foods and lower intake of animal-based foods,have been shown to reduce the risk of CAD by up to 29% when compared to non-vegetarian diets in a meta-analysis.This article aims to summarize the array of PBDs and compare them with conventional Western diets that include meat.We review the various proposed mechanisms for how the bioactive nutrients of PBDs aid in preventing atherosclerosis and CAD events,as well as other cardiac diseases.We conducted a detailed search of PubMed using our exclusive search strategy using the keywords plant-based diet,vegan diet,phytosterols,CAD,myocardial ischemia,and atherosclerosis.A total of 162 pertinent articles published within the past decade were identified for qualitative synthesis.To ensure the accuracy and reliability of our review,we included a total of 55 full-text,peer-reviewed articles that demonstrated the effects of plant-based diets on CAD and were written in English.We excluded animal studies,in vitro or molecular studies,and non-original data like editorials,letters,protocols,and conference abstracts.In this article,we emphasize the importance of dietary interventions,such as PBDs,to prevent CAD and their benefits on environmental sustainability.Integrating plant foods and whole grains into one's daily eating habits leads to an increase in the intake of nutrient-rich foods while reducing the consumption of processed food could not only prevent millions of premature deaths but also provide prevention against many chronic gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases.

Role of Helicobacter pylori infection in pathogenesis of atherosclerosis

Though a century old hypothesis, infection as a cause for atherosclerosis is still a debatable issue. Epidemiological and clinical studies had shown a possible association but inhomogeneity in the study population and study methods along with potential confounders have yielded conflicting results. Infection triggers a chronic inflammatory state which along with other mechanisms such as dyslipidemia, hyper-homocysteinemia, hypercoagulability, impaired glucose metabolism and endothelial dysfunction, contribute in pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Studies have shown a positive relations between Cytotoxic associated gene-A positive strains of Helicobacter pylori and vascular diseases such as coronary artery disease and stroke. Infection mediated genetic modulation is a new emerging theory in this regard. Further large scale studies on infection and atherosclerosis focusing on multiple pathogenetic mechanisms may help in refining our knowledge in this aspect.

Animal models of atherosclerosis

In this mini-review several commonly used animal models of atherosclerosis have been discussed.Among them,emphasis has been made on mice,rabbits,pigs and non-human primates.Although these animal models have played a significant role in our understanding of induction of atherosclerotic lesions,we still lack a reliable animal model for regression of the disease.Researchers have reported several genetically modified and transgenic animal models that replicate human atherosclerosis,however each of current animal models have some limitations.Among these animal models,the apolipoprotein(apo) E-knockout(KO)mice have been used extensively because they develop spontaneous atherosclerosis.Furthermore,atherosclerotic lesions developed in this model depending on experimental design may resemble humans' stable and unstable atherosclerotic lesions.This mouse model of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis has been also used to investigate the impact of oxidative stress and inflammation on atherogenesis.Low density lipoprotein(LDL)-r-KO mice are a model of human familial hypercholesterolemia.However,unlike apo E-KO mice,the LDL-r-KO mice do not develop spontaneous atherosclerosis.Both apo E-KO and LDL-r-KO mice have been employed to generate other relevant mouse models of cardiovascular disease through breeding strategies.In addition to mice,rabbits have been used extensively particularly to understand the mechanisms of cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis.The present review paper details the characteristics of animal models that are used in atherosclerosis research.