Atherosclerosis used to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in western developed countries, but with the development of China’s economy and the increasing westernization of living habits and changes in the pace of life, the incidence of atherosclerosis in China is increasing. Atherosclerosis is a progressive lesion that often begins in childhood and gradually shows clinical symptoms in mid to late adulthood or in old age. Atherosclerosis is characterized by the formation of lipid-rich plaques in the walls of blood vessels with a yellow atheromatous appearance, which is known as atherosclerosis. The damage begins in the intima, with accumulation of lipids and complex sugars, hemorrhage and thrombosis, proliferation of fibrous tissue, calcium deposits, and involvement of the middle and outer layers of the vessel. Most of these plaques are eccentric and can cause narrowing of the vessel, causing clinical symptoms when the narrowing is severe or when there is occlusion of the lumen due to thrombosis. The exact cause of atherosclerosis has not yet been determined, but important causative factors have been identified, such as hyperlipidemia (abnormally high fat concentration in the blood), smoking, hypertension, diabetes, reduced physical activity, obesity and genetic factors. So how does atherosclerosis arise? We all know that there are many lipid substances in the human body, such as: triglycerides and cholesterol. When the blood vessel wall is damaged by various stimuli, lipids will be deposited from the damage, and local inflammatory reactions will also exist, and over time, the deposited lipids will then undergo various complex changes to form hardened plaques, eventually forming atherosclerosis. In the case of atherosclerosis alone, people do not feel any symptoms. Only when an artery connected to a vital organ in the body is blocked will the disease be detected. If atherosclerosis involves the coronary arteries, it can cause coronary heart disease and angina pectoris if it affects the blood supply to the heart. If atherosclerosis affects the arteries in the brain, people may feel vertigo, blurred vision and fainting, and it may even lead to stroke (death of brain tissue supplied by the blocked artery, which causes nerve damage, such as paralysis of a limb controlled by the dead brain tissue). Blocked arteries to the kidneys may also lead to kidney failure. Blockage of the blood vessels leading to the eye may lead to blindness. Blockage of arteries to the extremities may lead to lesions in each limb.