IL1B and atherosclerosis: An increasing number of studies have found that inflammation has strong effects on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, CAD, and its associated complications, such as MI, which are in turn widely thought to be correlated with inflammatory processes.[5,31] IL-1β, a crucial mediator of inflammation, is secreted by macrophages, thrombocytes, and injured endothelium[32,33] and plays a primary role in inflammatory reactions and atherosclerosis.