Importancia y fisiopatología de las calcificiones vasculares / Importance and pathophysiology of vascular calcifications

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to examine the importance and the pathophysiology of vascular calcifications. Pathophysiologic mechanisms of vascular calcification are scantly known. Anomalies of mineral metabolisms were classically attributed (with special reference to phosphorus) to the probability of developing the disease. The most important types of cardiovascular calcifications are atherosclerotic, from the cardiac valves, medial arterial (Monckeberg's arteriosclerosis, arterial sclerosis involving the medial coat), infantile idiopathic arterial calcifications and vascular calciphylaxis. All these considerations are describe and detailed in the article