What is arteriosclerosis?

Arteriosclerosis is commonly called hardening of the arteries. This term includes a variety of conditions that cause artery walls to thicken and lose elasticity. It can occur because of fatty deposits called plaque on the inner lining of arteries (atherosclerosis), calcium buildup on the wall of the arteries, or thickening of the muscular wall of the arteries because of chronically elevated blood pressure. It also is associated with aging.

In arteriosclerosis, there is a thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the walls of arteries. The name arteriosclerosis is often used interchangeably with the term "atherosclerosis;" however, atherosclerosis is technically a type of arteriosclerosis. The name atherosclerosis comes from the Greek words "athero" (gruel or paste) and "sclerosis" (hardness). The term arteriosclerosis comes from the words "arterial" (artery) and "sclerosis" (hardness).

Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Healthy arteries are flexible, strong, and have a high degree of arterial elasticity, or flexibility. As people age, an increase in arterial stiffness is normal. Increased arterial stiffness may restrict blood flow to vital organs and is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Arteriosclerosis results from the accumulation of plaque in artery walls. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol (particularly low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol), calcium, and other substances found in the blood. Plaque accumulation causes a narrowing and a loss of elasticity of the arteries. Over time, plaques can grow in size and may partially or totally block the blood's flow through an artery. A build-up of plaque, or a clot that forms if a plaque ruptures, may block an artery, cutting off blood and oxygen supply to vital organs, which may cause a heart attack or stroke. A piece of the clot may also break off and enter the blood stream. Most commonly, the clot will travel to the legs or the lungs. This may result in an obstruction of blood flow, which in the leg, can result in a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or in the lung, a pulmonary embolism (PE). Although plaques may occur anywhere in the body, they usually cause problems in the heart, brain, and legs.

Arteriosclerosis may begin early in life and not present any problems or symptoms or even be diagnosed until a plaque has grown so large that it ruptures. However, others experience symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or leg pain, especially with exercise.

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