any of a group of diseases characterized by thickening and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls; popularly called “hardening of the arteries.” Symptoms depend on the organ system involved. adj.,
adj arteriosclerot´ic.ƒ
There are three main forms of arteriosclerosis: (1)
atherosclerosis, the most common type, in which plaques of fatty deposits form in the inner layer
(tunica intima) of the arteries; (2) Mönckeberg's arteriosclerosis, called also
medial calcific sclerosis because of involvement of the middle layer
(tunica media) of the arteries, where there is destruction of muscle and elastic fibers and formation of calcium deposits; and (3) arteriolar sclerosis or
arteriolosclerosis, which is marked by thickening of the walls of arterioles. All three forms may be present in the same patient, but in different blood vessels. When reference is made to hardening of the arteries, this usually refers to atherosclerosis; the terms
arteriosclerosis and
atherosclerosis are often used interchangeably.
It is the responsibility of the health care provider to help individuals modify or eliminate from their lives risk factors for the development of arteriosclerosis. These include cigarette smoking, obesity, elevated cholesterol levels, and sedentary life style.