Cholesterol crystals are sure sign a heart attack may loom
The protruding elements seen in the different slides are cholesterol crystals. Those elements are arising from within the artery wall, causing tearing and damage to the artery. The colors have been added for enhancement and imagery. Credit: Michigan State University A new Michigan State University study on 240 emergency room patients shows just how much of a role a person's cholesterol plays, when in a crystallized state , during a heart attack. George Abela, lead author and chief cardiologist at MSU, analyzed the material that was obstructing the coronary arteries of patients who had suffered a heart attack and found that 89 percent of them had an excessive amount of these crystallized structures, referred to as cholesterol crystals. The research is now published online in the American Journal of Cardiology . These crystals are released from plaque that can build up in the heart and is often made up of fat, calcium and other substances as well. When this mat...