Effect of hemodynamic factors on atherosclerosis in the abdominal aorta.

The distribution pattern of atherosclerotic plaques in the human abdominal aorta is examined using autopsy specimens. The location of the plaques is found to be dominant where flow separation may occur in the abdominal aorta based on hemodynamic theory. This observation provides strong support for the role of flow separation with subsequent platelet aggregation in atherogenesis. The severity of plaque formed in the anterior inferior wall of the abdominal aorta is found to be affected by the branching angles of the renal arteries as deduced from experimental results using glass tube models.