Internationale Zeitschrift für Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung

Carotid Plaque and MMP-9 Controversies

Liz Andrea Villela Baroncini

Carotid Plaque and MMP-9 Controversies

Advanced carotid plaques are complex structures that are in constantly remodeling process which complicates their histological characterization and classification. The natural history of the plaque progression and destabilization does not occur in a linear manner. At the present, is not possible to predict whether a carotid plaque will become symptomatic or when symptoms will occur.Patients may exhibit the same carotid plaque histological components whether they are symptomatic or asymptomatic.