Search
 
Definition of Arteriosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis is a general term for several disorders that cause thickening and loss of elasticity in the arterial wall. Atherosclerosis, the most common form, is also the most serious because it causes coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease. Nonatheromatous forms of arteriosclerosis include arteriolosclerosis and Mönckeberg's arteriosclerosis.

Last full review/revision January 2008 by Jules Y. T. Lam, MD, FRCP(C)

Content last modified January 2008

Back to Top

Previous: Overview of Hypertension

Next: Atherosclerosis

Audio
Figures
Photographs
Tables
Videos

Copyright     © 2010-2011 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A.    Privacy    Terms of Use