Shear stress and plaque development

Although traditional cardiovascular risk factors 'prime the soil' for atherogenesis systemically, atherosclerosis primarily occurs in a site-specific manner with a predilection towards the inner wall of curvatures and outer wall of bifurcations with sparing of flow-dividers. Wall shear stress is a frictional force exerted parallel to the vessel wall that leads to alteration of the endothelial phenotype, endothelial cell signaling, gene and protein expression leading to a proinflammatory phenotype, reduced nitric oxide availability and disruption of the extracellular matrix, which in turn leads to plaque development. Clinical and experimental data are emerging that suggest the pathobiology associated with abnormal wall shear stress results in atherosclerotic plaque development and progression.