QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: GLOSSARY

Endothelium

A thin sheet of cells that lines all blood vessels and the heart cavities. These cells must remain healthy and work properly if coronary heart disease (CHD) is to be avoided. Many of the responses leading to relaxation of smooth muscle in the arterial wall to enlarge the diameter (arterial vasodilatation) require that the endothelial cells release nitric oxide which goes to muscle to relax it. Damage of endothelial cells causes thrombosis to occur within the artery at the site of damage. Smoking is a potent cause of endothelial damage, and therefore of CHD.

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