atheroma
/ˌaθəˈrəʊmə
/noun [mass noun] Medicine
1Degeneration of the walls of the arteries caused by accumulated fatty deposits and scar tissue, and leading to restriction of the circulation and a risk of thrombosis. See also atherosclerosis.The early lesions of calcific degenerative disease resemble atheroma of the coronary artery....
- If the ultrasound shows stenosis or atheroma, the patient should understand the risks and benefits of the procedure.
- For subjects who were 45-69 yr of age, Crawford and Crawford reported no difference in the prevalence of extensive atheroma or significant stenosis between residents of hard-water and soft-water areas.
1.1The fatty material which forms deposits in the arteries.Angina happens when the coronary arteries get blocked up with small pieces of fatty material called atheroma....
- Ultrasound devices provide reliable measurements of lumen size, distensibility, wall thickness, and the presence of atheroma in large arteries.
Derivatives
atheromatous
- Additionally, care must be taken when dissecting the carotid vessels to avoid disturbing the atheromatous lesions causing fragmentation and subsequent embolization and stroke.
- Inflammatory processes are believed to play a role in the conversion of coronary vessel-wall lipids into dangerous atheromatous plaques.
- This is often induced by physical exertion, and the commonest aetiology is atheromatous coronary artery disease.
Origin
Late 16th century: via Latin from Greek athērōma, from athērē, atharē 'groats'.