Study shows why cholesterol damages arteries

In addition to crystallised cholesterol, atherosclerotic plaques always contain large quantities of immune cells but, surprisingly, no bacteria or viruses. It was previously unclear just how the body's own defence forces are called into action. Even animals that are kept in an absolutely sterile environment can suffer from 'clogging' or 'furring' of the arteries when their food contains high levels of cholesterol. The same relationship is found in humans. The higher the blood cholesterol level, the greater the risk of atherosclerosis and the greater the likelihood of suffering a heart attack. 'We have known this for a long time,' points out Professor Dr Eicke Latz from Bonn University, 'but nobody understood exactly why'...

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