Objective: The object of study was the type, frequency and extent, as well as correlation of atherosclerotic lesions in Kaunas population aged 20-69 years.
Results: The frequency and intimal area of raised atherosclerotic lesions (fibrous and complicated plaque and calcinosis) are age-dependent. The increase of raised lesions area seems to alter at different decades of life. In men the most substantial progression in left anterior descending artery was observed at the fourth-fifth, in right coronary artery--at the fifth, and in both arteries of women - at the sixth decade of life. The area of fatty streaks is not dependent on age and comprises approximately 4-5% of intimal surface. We observed weak negative correlation between area of raised lesions and fatty streaks, and strong correlation between the area of all type of raised lesions in all three coronary arteries.
Conclusions: The coronary artery atherosclerosis is progressing with age. Age decades, when increase of raised lesion area is observed, correspond to age periods, in which mortality due to ischemic heart disease increases significantly.