Coronaryarterydiseaseisalmostalwaysduetoatheromatous arrowingandsubsequentocclusionofthevessel. Early atheroma (fromtheGreekathera(porridge)andoma(lump)) is esentfromyoungadulthoodonwards. Amatureplaqueis omposedoftwoconstituents,eachassociatedwithaparticular ellpopulation.Thelipidcoreismainlyreleasedfromnecrotic “foamcells” monocytederivedmacrophages,whichmigrate intotheintimaandingestlipids. Theconnectivetissuematrixis derivedfromsmoothmusclecells,whichmigratefromthe mediaintotheintima, wheretheyproliferateandchangetheir phenotypetoformafibrouscapsulearoundthelipidcore