[Is atherosclerosis a specific arterial lesion or a "unified" group definition? Search for the causes of arteriosclerosis: an ecologic conception].

The term "atherosclerosis" is erroneously used for the definition of different types of arteriosclerosis, each of them has not only its characteristic structural signs, but also its specific causes and the mechanisms of its development. Particularly, young subjects are observed to mainly have lipid-free arterial intimal lesion with formed myofibrous, fibrous hyalinized plaques, and circular or focal myoelastic intimal hyperplasia. This type of atherosclerosis more commonly occurs in those who are occupationally exposed to xenobiotics. The establishment of the actual cause of each type of arteriosclerosis will open up fresh opportunities for the prevention of the diseases that are responsible for high morbidity and disability rates in the past decades.