Atheroma

Atheroma
Other names	atheromata (plural), atheromas (plural), atheromatous plaque, plaque
Atherosclerotic plaque from a carotid endarterectomy specimen. This shows the division of the common into the internal and external carotid arteries.
Specialty	Cardiology
Complications	Thrombosis, embolism, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis
Causes	Hyperlipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia

An atheroma, or atheromatous plaque, is an abnormal accumulation of material in the inner layer of an arterial wall.^[1][2]

The material consists of mostly macrophage cells,^[3][4] or debris, containing lipids, calcium and a variable amount of fibrous connective tissue. The accumulated material forms a swelling in the artery wall, which may intrude into the lumen of the artery, narrowing it and restricting blood flow. Atheroma is the pathological basis for the disease entity atherosclerosis, a subtype of arteriosclerosis.^[5]