An analysis of 9.550 autopsies of males, aged 10 to 69 years, demonstrated that the time and incidence of the appearance of lipid spots did not depend on the place of residence and ethnic characteristics of the person, while the appearance and further progressive development of fibrous plaques and other more severe kinds of atherosclerotic changes varied greatly from one geographic zone and ethnic group to other. The results of the study of different stages of atherosclerosis and the analysis of literature data support our earlier concept that indicates that fibrous plaques do not necessarily develop from lipid spots, and the latter do not necessarily transform into fibrous plaques.