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A member asked:
Why does atherosclerosis not affect my veins?
2 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Atherosclerosis: Atherosclerosis develops in the portion of the artery wall that is muscular. There is no muscle in veins, so plaque does not develop in these types of vessels.
Answered 2/16/2020
6.2k views
LowerPressure is Key: Veins operate at much lower pressures than arteries, typically <5 to max ~15 mmHg above atmospheric pressure (without gravity), do not stretch with each heart beat & have much less smooth muscle in walls than arteries. However arteries operate at pressures >100 to >200 mmHg above atmospheric pressure & stretch with each heart beat. Veins develop atherosclerosis rapidly when used as an artery.
Answered 2/16/2020
5.5k views
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