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arteriosclerosis

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arteriosclerosis

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Also known as arteriosclerotic vascular disease, vascular sclerosis, arteriosclerotic vascular disease NOS, arteriosclerotic vascular disease (disorder), arterial sclerosis, arteriosclerosis (morphologic abnormality), arteriosclerosis NOS

Arteriosclerosis, literally meaning "hardening of the arteries", is an umbrella term for a set of vascular disorders characterized by abnormal thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the walls of arteries. This process gradually restricts the blood flow to one's organs and tissues and can lead to severe health risks brought on by atherosclerosis, which is a specific form of arteriosclerosis caused by the buildup of fatty plaques, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the arterial walls. Risk factors include family history, smoking, and obesity.

AI overview

Arteriosclerosis, or "hardening of the arteries," is a condition where artery walls become abnormally thick, hard, and less elastic, gradually reducing blood flow to organs and tissues. It matters because it can lead to serious health complications, particularly through atherosclerosis—a specific form involving buildup of fatty plaques and cholesterol in arteries—and is linked to risk factors like family history, smoking, and obesity.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Medical condition.name
Arteriosclerosis
Medical condition.image
Blausen 0227 Cholesterol.png
Medical condition.caption
Blood vessel-plaque and cholesterol
Medical condition.field
Pathology
Medical condition.symptoms
Sudden weakness
Medical condition.causes
Smoking, High blood pressure
Medical condition.diagnosis
Blood test, EKG
Medical condition.treatment
Treatment of underlying condition

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224,982 papers

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Wikidata facts

Image
Atherosclerosis, aorta, gross pathology PHIL 846 lores.jpg
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Commons category
Atherosclerosis
NCI Thesaurus ID
C34398
Sources (3)

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~5 min read

Article

9 sections
Contents
  • Signs and symptoms
  • Pathophysiology
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment
  • Epidemiology
  • History
  • References
  • Further reading
  • External links

Arteriosclerosis, literally meaning "hardening of the arteries", is an umbrella term for a set of vascular disorders characterized by abnormal thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the walls of arteries. This process gradually restricts the blood flow to one's organs and tissues and can lead to severe health risks brought on by atherosclerosis, which is a specific form of arteriosclerosis caused by the buildup of fatty plaques, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the arterial walls. Risk factors include family history, smoking, and obesity.

Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke, with multiple genetic and environmental contributions. Genetic-epidemiologic studies have identified many genetic and non-genetic risk factors for CAD. However, such studies indicate that family history is the most significant independent risk factor.

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