ARTERIOSCLEROSIS

also called Hardening Of The Arteries, chronic disease characterized by abnormal thickening and hardening of the walls of arteries, with a resulting loss of elasticity. The major form of arteriosclerosis is atherosclerosis, in which plaques of fatty deposits, or atheromas, form on the inner walls of the arteries. In atherosclerosis, cholesterol-carrying lipoproteins in the circulating blood are gradually deposited on the inner linings of arteries over a period of years. As more cholesterol is deposited on the lining, initially tiny lesions enlarge and thicken to form plaques, narrowing the vessel channel and interfering with the flow of blood through it. The formation of fatty deposits may also be accompanied by scar tissue and calcification, which make the vessel walls less elastic, one consequence being an increase in blood pressure. Eventually an arterial channel may be completely blocked by thick plaques, or a blood clot (thrombus) may form at the site of a plaque and likewise obstruct the channel. When atherosclerosis affects the coronary arteries, which bring oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle, it can decrease the supply of blood to the heart muscle and result in the pain of angina pectoris. The complete occlusion of one or more coronary arteries can cause the death of a section of the heart muscle (myocardial infarction). Treatments for coronary artery disease include coronary bypass surgery and balloon angioplasty (the dilation of an artery and flattening of its plaque deposits by means of a balloon catheter). Arteriosclerosis affecting the cerebral blood vessels may interfere with blood flow to the brain and result in a stroke, a loss of consciousness followed by some degree of paralysis. Treatment directed at prevention of such strokes includes administration of drugs that reduce the blood pressure and those that thin blood serum or decrease platelets, inhibiting the ability of blood to clot. Arteriosclerosis affecting the peripheral arteries may reduce blood flow to the legs and cause intermittent lameness and ulceration. There is also an increased possibility of infection in the feet and legs.