Local and Systemic Mechanisms of Plaque Rupture

Mechanisms at the basis of coronary plaque instability are still elusive. On the one hand, accumulating data, from clinical and postmortem studies, suggest the role of systemic factors, in particular inflammation, in plaque rupture. On the other hand, local factors, in particular plaque composition, such as a large lipid-rich core and a thin fibrous cap, presence of activated inflammatory cells, presence of plaque neovascularization, and...