re: Statins for cholesterol? Yes or No

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How does LDL cause artherosclerosis?

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LDL enters through endothelial injury sites, specifically areas with disturbed laminar or turbulent flow, which reduces wall sheer stress of vessels and promotes LDL infiltration along with endothelial dysfunction. The original source of the dysfunction is chronic stress on endothelium through arterial hypertension. Macrophages and smooth muscle cells (stimulated to move to injury sites by PDGF) ingest cholesterol carried by oxidized LDL and transform into foam cells, lipid-laden macrophages which form fatty streaks, which is the first sign of atherosclerosis.