Abstract
Purpose of Review
Wall shear stress describes the mechanical influence of blood flow on the arterial wall. In this review, we discuss the role of the wall shear stress in the development of atherosclerosis and its complications.
Recent Findings
Areas with chronically low, oscillating wall shear stress are most prone to plaque development and include outer bifurcation walls and inner walls of arches. In some diseases, patients have lower wall shear stress even in straight arterial segments; also, these findings were associated with atherosclerosis. High wall shear stress develops in the distal part (shoulder) of a stenosis and contributes to plaque destabilization.
Summary
Wall shear stress changes are involved in the development of atherosclerosis. They are not fully understood yet and act in concert with tangential wall stress.
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Abbreviations
- CT:
-
Computerized tomography
- CCTA:
-
Computerized tomography coronary angiography
- ECs:
-
Endothelial cells
- IVUS:
-
Intravascular ultrasonography
- 4D MRA:
-
Four-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography
- MRI:
-
Magnetic resonance imaging
- OCT:
-
Optical coherence tomography
- PECAM-1:
-
Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1
- VEGF:
-
Vascular endothelial growth factor
- WSS:
-
Wall shear stress
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This work was supported by MH CZ — DRO (General University Hospital in Prague — VFN, 00064165).
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J., M., L., N., A., V. et al. Wall Shear Stress Alteration: a Local Risk Factor of Atherosclerosis. Curr Atheroscler Rep 24, 143–151 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-022-00993-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-022-00993-0