Aging effects on atherosclerosis susceptible sites in vertebrobasilar system: studying oscillatory shear index and averaged wall shear stress criteria

Vertebrobasilar system stenosis is one of the risk factor for deaths caused by stroke, the risk of stenosis in these arteries are highly depend on the people’s age. In the present study, atherosclerosis susceptible sites in vertebrobasilar system at different ages 20, 50 and 70 have been investigated. Numerical method (Fluent software) is employed to solve the equations. Blood flow is simulated in these arteries to investigate probable risky sites (prone to stenosis). To find these locations, critical values of the averaged wall shear stress (AWSS) and oscillatory shear index (OSI) have been studied. By considering the AWSS and OSI criteria in 20 years old person it becomes clear that the risk of stenosis is not considerable at this age, somehow ageing increases OSI figures in the right vertebral artery and in its junction reaching to the critical values, besides at this age, the area of the sites with lower amount of AWSS are stretched significantly. At the age of 70, risky sites are expanded toward right vertebral artery. Furthermore the risk of stenosis in all determined risky sites of age 50 increased at the age of 70.