Abstract
Pharmacologic interventions are commonly used to treat patients with cardiovascular disease, and some may have important effects on vascular calcification. In this chapter we briefly review imaging of vascular calcification and then discuss the known effects of commonly used cardiovascular risk reduction medications such as statins on the process of vascular calcification. The pattern and content of plaque calcium is likely due to the degree of responsiveness to intensive risk factor modification. Lipid-lowering therapies such as statins seem to not only reduce lipid content in the arterial wall but also the degree of plaque calcification, with the suggestion that these changes result in more clinically stable disease.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Coronary Calcium |
Subtitle of host publication | A Comprehensive Understanding of Its Biology, Use in Screening, and Interventional Management |
Publisher | Elsevier |
Pages | 181-189 |
Number of pages | 9 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780128163894 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2019 |
Keywords
- Atherosclerosis
- Calcium
- Clinical trials
- Imaging
- Medical therapies
- Risk factors