Mechanical characteristics of circulation and vasculature, such as blood flow in combination with geometrical features, participate in the generation of several pathophysiological processes, such as development of blood vessel structure, chronic vessel tone regulation, atherosclerosis and others. We aim to briefly describe the basic mechanical and haemodynamic phenomena related to the forces applied to arterial walls, especially shear stresses and the shear-induced physiologic and pathophysiologic processes focusing on those related to atherosclerotic disease.