Ursachen und risikofaktoren der arteriosklerose

Background. The arterial vascular diseases grouped under the term arteriosclerosis are characterized by fibrous changes in the blood vessel walls. Aim of the study. This article reviews the epidemiology and manifestations of arteriosclerosis, as well as the risk factors associated with developing the disease. Materials and methods. The current article is a literature-based review that considers important studies relating to arteriosclerosis. Results. Atherosclerosis is the most common form of arteriosclerosis. The relevance of atherosclerosis for the health care system is highlighted by the following figures: in Germany, the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) amongst the population aged 65 years and older is measured at 18% for women and at 28% for men. In 2004, CHD mortality rates were calculated to be 80.57 per 100,000 women and 149.21 per 100,000 men. According to the 1998 Federal Health Monitoring Report, about 3 million people in Germany were affected by peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD). Conclusion. The prevalence of atherosclerosis has increased dramatically during the last decade. In high-income countries like Germany, this increase is estimated at 13.1%. As for the risk factors associated with PAOD, smoking has the greatest influence on disease development in high-income countries and in relative terms, hypercholesterolemia the least. In contrast to PAOD, data from the UK suggest that the incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is on the decline. Correspondingly, the age-adjusted AAA mortality rate in England and Wales decreased from 40.4 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1997 to 25.7 per 100,000 in 2009.