Definition
A disease of the arterial vessels marked by thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity in the arterial walls.
Arteriosclerosis literally means “hardening of the arteries”; it is a generic term reflecting arterial wall thickening and loss of elasticity.
It has three general patterns, with different clinical and pathologic consequences:
Arteriolosclerosis affects small arteries and arterioles, and may cause downstream ischemic injury.
Mönckeberg medial sclerosis is characterized by calcific deposits in muscular arteries in persons typically older than age 50.
The deposits may undergo metaplastic change into bone. the lesions do not encroach on the vessel lumen and are usually not clinically significant
Atherosclerosis, from Greek root words for “gruel” and “hardening,” is the most frequent and clinically important pattern
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