Arteriosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis, a group of disorders of the arteries , the tubular vessels that carry oxygen-carrying blood from the heart to the body’s organs and tissues. In arteriosclerosis, the walls of the arteries thicken, harden, and lose their elasticity. The blood vessel channels develop twists and turns and become narrowed so that the heart must work harder than normal to pump blood through the arteries. In the disease’s advanced stage, there is a risk of a decrease in blood flow and oxygen supply to all parts of the body. The disorder, commonly known as hardening of the arteries, develops as people age, but its severity varies greatly from person to person. Little is known about the cause of arteriosclerosis. Heredity appears to play a role in many cases. Lifestyle factors, such as continual stress or a diet abundant in animal fats, also appear to contribute to the condition. The most common form of arteriosclerosis is atherosclerosis, also known as coronary artery disease. In this con