Coronary artery vessel wall

The coronary artery vessel wall is the complex, multi-layered anatomical structure of the arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the myocardium. It is composed of three distinct layers: the tunica intima (endothelial layer), the tunica media (smooth muscle layer), and the tunica adventitia (outer connective tissue) [4]. This structure is the primary site for the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD), characterized by the development of atherosclerotic plaques through lipid deposition and chronic inflammation [2, 9]. Therapeutic strategies targeting the vessel wall include systemic medications like statins to lower cholesterol and local interventions such as drug-eluting stents that release antiproliferative agents like sirolimus [5, 11]. The wall also contains various molecular targets, including endothelin receptors and growth factor pathways, which regulate vascular tone and remodeling [2, 3]. Monitoring the vessel wall through imaging biomarkers, such as calcium scores and wall thickness, is essential for assessing cardiovascular risk and treatment efficacy [7, 8, 12].

Other names

Coronary vessel wallArterial wall of coronary arteryCoronary artery wall

Drugs targeting the coronary artery vessel wall primarily act by lowering lipid levels, inhibiting smooth muscle cell proliferation, promoting vasodilation, or reducing inflammation within the vascular layers [2, 5, 11].