循環器疾患の予防と生活習慣

Recent evidence suggests that acute coronary syndrome（ACS）results from plaque rupture in most of the cases. Vulnerable plaques are characterized by thinning of fibrous cap, increased lipid content, decreased smooth muscle cell content, and enhanced infiltration of inflammatory cells.Coronary risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and smoking, promote these processes, which result in cardiovascular complications. Rigorous control of lifestyle-related diseases is important for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.However, the molecular mechanism of plaque destabilization is not fully understood. Thus,there is no established method to predict and prevent ACS. We have been studying the pathogenesis of plaque progression and destabilization using animal models and clinical specimen.In this symposium, I will present our recent findings on the molecular mechanism of plaque rupture and discuss effective strategies to diagnose and prevent ACS.