Atherosclerosis (most common)

Rationale

The section was updated to include the most recent epidemiological data from the American Heart Association (AHA) 2024 report. This reinforces the statement that atherosclerosis is the most common cause of vascular pathology. The 2023 report was considered but the 2024 report provides the most current statistics and supersedes the previous year's data for textbook purposes. The abbreviation for cardiovascular disease (CVD) was expanded on first use as per instructions.

Evidence

Content Changes

* Progressive lipid accumulation and plaque formation.formation, remaining the leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke globally [@martin2024].
* Hemodynamic stress at bifurcations promotes turbulence → plaque localization.