Arteries are the freeways of the body, transporting food and oxygen in the bloodstream to the tissues. When healthy, these blood vessels are flexible, strong, and elastic. But hypertension, or high blood pressure, along with high cholesterol can cause them to become thick, stiff, and hard—a condition called arteriosclerosis.

The most common form of arteriosclerosis is atherosclerosis, although the terms are often used interchangeably. Derived from the Greek words athero (“gruel” or “paste”) and sclerosis (“hardness”), it’s a condition in which fatty substances, cholesterol, calcium, and other materials collect on the arteries’ inner walls. This buildup, called plaque, hardens and may grow large enough to block bloodflow in an artery. If a plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form at the site, and if this clot blocks a small blood vessel that feeds the heart or brain, it can trigger a heart attack, embolism, or stroke by closing off the feeding vessel and so depriving the tissue of oxygen.

Hardening of the arteries is slowly progressive and takes years to develop, but it begins in late childhood. Although the exact cause of atherosclerosis is unknown, experts believe that it results from damage to the endothelium, the lining on the arteries’ inner walls. This causes the blood to deposit platelets to repair the artery. Inflammation occurs, and a blood clot followed by organization into plaque can form. This damage is most frequently caused by high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, and certain diseases, such as diabetes.

Atherosclerosis itself has few symptoms until its later stages. That’s why physicians routinely screen for high cholesterol and blood pressure, two common signs of the condition. Doctors prescribe lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthful diet and exercising, to improve bloodflow and help control the arteries’ deterioration. But there are also a variety of medications available, such as blood-thinning and anti-platelet drugs, as well as those for high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

ADDITIONAL FACTS

  1. More than 16 million Americans have atherosclerotic heart disease.
  2. Chronic stress can raise blood pressure and, in turn, set the stage for atherosclerosis.
  3. The German physician Felix Marchand (1846–1928) first introduced the term atherosclerosis in 1904.