Clinical Laboratory Assessment of Atherosclerosis — Role of Hyperlipidaemia and Hyperactive Platelets

Abstract

Hyperlipidaemia and platelet hyperfunction have been considered as high- risk factors for atherogenesis. Simultaneous study of these two parameters was undertaken in 43 patients with atherosclerosis (as evidenced by frank myocar dial infarction, MI, in 23 patients and ischemic heart disease, IHD, in 20 pa tients) ; and in 36 normal subjects who were matched for age (45 to 60 years). Incidence of either of these parameters being high was 36% in normals, 85% in atherosclerosis. Four subjects with circulating platelet aggregates and hyperli pidaemia showed progression of the lesion by crossing over from the category of normal to IHD (two) and from IHD to MI (two). These two risk factors, to gether or independently, appear to cause and control the progress of atheroscle rosis and their simultaneous study can be used for its diagnosis. A concept of subintimal hyperlipidosis is presented since none of the existing theories can explain the existence of atherosclerotic lesions exclusively on the developed vas cular musculature.