Correlation between anatomic parameters of the aorta and manifestations of atherosclerosis

A new risk factor of atherosclerosis — distal narrowing and shortening of the aorta — is described. The following parameters are analyzed in aortas collected from 1098 men and 1059 women aged 20–89 years: visual and planimetric estimations of the severity of atherosclerotic lesions and the perimeter, length, area, and angles of narrowing at different levels of the aorta. Atherogenic effect of inadequate aortic narrowing is more pronounced in young healthy individuals and is aggravated by hypertension. The narrowing of abdominal aorta promotes progression of atherosclerosis in the aorta, iliac, right coronary, and superior mesenteric arteries to a greater extent than in the left coronary and inferior mesenteric artery.