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 and clinically relevant because it causes coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease. Nonatheromatous forms of arteriosclerosis include arteriolosclerosis and Mönckeberg arteriosclerosis.

Last full review/revision September 2012 by Jules Y. T. Lam, MD, FRCP(C)

Content last modified November 2012