Apoptosis plays an important role in a great number of pathological processes, including atherosclerotic disease. Although apoptosis occurs in the major cell types found in atherosclerotic lesions (e.g. macrophages, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells), the mechanism involved in this process differs depending on the stage, the localization and the cell composition of the plaque. In this study, we have compared the effects of different apoptotic inducers on the cells that form the atherosclerotic plaque. We have demonstrated that monocytes and macrophages are more susceptible to apoptosis than smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells. These findings provide insights about the potential role of apoptosis in the atherosclerotic disease and suggest strategies to treat vascular diseases by exploiting the differential sensitivity of cells to cell death.