Arteriosclerosis / Atherosclerosis

ARTICLE SECTIONS

Introduction Signs and symptoms Causes Risk factors When to seek medical advice

Screening and diagnosis Complications Treatment Prevention

Introduction

Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from your heart to the rest of your body. Healthy arteries are flexible, strong and elastic. Over time, however, too much pressure in your arteries can make the walls thick and stiff — sometimes restricting blood flow to your organs and tissues. This process is called arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.

Atherosclerosis is a specific type of arteriosclerosis, but the terms are often used interchangeably.

Although atherosclerosis is often considered a heart problem, it can affect arteries anywhere in your body. For example:

• When arteries leading to your limbs are affected, you may develop circulation problems in your arms and legs called peripheral arterial disease.
• When arteries to your heart are affected, you may have coronary artery disease, chest pain (angina) or a heart attack.
• When arteries supplying blood to your brain are affected, you could have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke.
• Atherosclerosis can also lead to a bulge in the wall of your artery (aneurysm).

You may not know that you have atherosclerosis until a hardened artery causes a medical emergency. But you can take steps to protect yourself. Healthy lifestyle changes and medications can help.

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Signs and symptoms