arteriosclerosis
Sign in to saveArteriosclerosis, literally meaning "hardening of the arteries", is an umbrella term for a set of vascular disorders characterized by abnormal thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the walls of arteries. This process gradually restricts the blood flow to one's organs and tissues and can lead to severe health risks brought on by atherosclerosis, which is a specific form of arteriosclerosis caused by the buildup of fatty plaques, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the arterial walls. Risk factors include family history, smoking, and obesity.
AI overview
Arteriosclerosis, or "hardening of the arteries," is a condition where artery walls become abnormally thick, hard, and less elastic, gradually reducing blood flow to organs and tissues. It matters because it can lead to serious health complications, particularly through atherosclerosis—a specific form involving buildup of fatty plaques and cholesterol in arteries—and is linked to risk factors like family history, smoking, and obesity.
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Key facts
- Medical condition.name
- Arteriosclerosis
- Medical condition.image
- Blausen 0227 Cholesterol.png
- Medical condition.caption
- Blood vessel-plaque and cholesterol
- Medical condition.field
- Pathology
- Medical condition.symptoms
- Sudden weakness
- Medical condition.causes
- Smoking, High blood pressure
- Medical condition.diagnosis
- Blood test, EKG
- Medical condition.treatment
- Treatment of underlying condition
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
9 sectionsContents
- Signs and symptoms
- Pathophysiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Epidemiology
- History
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Arteriosclerosis, literally meaning "hardening of the arteries", is an umbrella term for a set of vascular disorders characterized by abnormal thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the walls of arteries. This process gradually restricts the blood flow to one's organs and tissues and can lead to severe health risks brought on by atherosclerosis, which is a specific form of arteriosclerosis caused by the buildup of fatty plaques, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the arterial walls. Risk factors include family history, smoking, and obesity.
Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke, with multiple genetic and environmental contributions. Genetic-epidemiologic studies have identified many genetic and non-genetic risk factors for CAD. However, such studies indicate that family history is the most significant independent risk factor.