Determinants of Risk Factors Associated with Aortic Atherosclerosis: A Quantitative Study in Forensic Autopsies

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Background: Cardiovascular diseases have become a major burden in the whole world and the top of it is atherosclerosis causing deaths. It is characterized as the thickening of the arterial walls with the fatty material which includes cholesterol, cellular wastes, and fibrin. The atherosclerosis can be hereditary, due to aging, any autoimmune disease causing inflammation of endothelial or because of the sedentary lifestyle. Atherosclerosis is a consequence of dysfunction of endothelial done by low-density lipoprotein and changes in it by the internal wall of arteries. Smoking increases the oxidation stress and decreases the accessibility of nitric oxide to the endothelial wall which leads to vasodilatory response. These changes are irreversible. Pre-mature aging also contributes to the destruction of the epithelial wall of arteries eventually leading to hypertension, which if left untreated can cause atherosclerosis. Method: This is a cross-sectional study conducted for a period of one year and the sample size of 110 was taken of which 65.5% were male and the rest were females. This study includes all those patients` bodies who can go through autopsy and excludes patients whose bodies are mutilated or decomposed or those patients` bodies whose history is not properly available. Consents were taken from the relatives of the victims. The autopsy was done after the proper identification and examination of the patient`s body. The thoracic cavity was cut and opened. The aorta was cut from its origin to the diaphragm. The operational criterion was determined by grading from 1 to 5 based on the severity and thickness of aortic atherosclerosis. The data was statistically analyzed by applying the student`s t-test. The significant value of p<0.01 was considered. Result: Mostly males were affected. Out of 110 deceased more than 50% were from rural areas. 58% of the population have grade 1 and grade 2 atheromatous plaques. Most affected males were in the age of 50 years to 59 years and females were most affected in 60years to 69 years in their lifetime. This study also reveals that out of 110 dead bodies 64 patients died due to cardiac issues the rest died due to non-cardiac causes. The study also tells about the direct relation of atherosclerosis with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and smoking habits with a significance level of p<0.001. Conclusion: The present study shows that it is more common in males than females and victims belonged to the age group of 5th to 8th decade. This reveals that aging is the dominating factor of residence. Rural people have it more than urban due to lack of awareness and diagnostic facilities Also a direct correlation between atherosclerosis and hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and smoking has been seen and confirmed through statistical significant.