ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is a slow and progressive disease caused by the inflammatory response from the presence and accumulation of fatty plaques, especially low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the vascular endothelium, which can result in obstruction and reduction of vessel lumen. Among these vessels, the main ones are the coronary arteries, responsible for relating the presence of atherosclerosis with Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI). Objective: This literature review aims to relate the presence of atherosterotic plaque with the development of AMI. Methodology: This is a literature review whose articles were selected from the LILACs, SciELO and Google Scholar databases and Brazilian guideline on dyslipidemias and prevention of atherosclerosis in Portuguese, Spanish and English with the following descriptors: dyslipidemia, coronary vessels, Myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis. Final considerations: Atherosclerosis, a multifactorial and progressive disease, is related to hyperlipidemia, obesity and hypertension, and its morbidity and mortality are related to the high level of cardiovascular diseases present worldwide. There are risk factors that can be changed, such as dietary reeducation to reduce cholesterol levels and medical support for lipid and cardiovascular monitoring and lifestyle changes and non-modifiable factors such as age.