Arteriosclerosis is a general term that refers to the hardening and thickening of the walls of the arteries. It is a condition in which the arteries become stiff, less elastic, and thickened.
There are 2 major types of arteriosclerosis:
Atherosclerosis, which involves development of lipid rich deposits (atheromas) inside the arterial walls
Atherosclerosis is the most common form of arteriosclerosis, a general term for several disorders that cause thickening and loss of elasticity in the arterial wall. Atherosclerosis is also the most serious and clinically relevant form of arteriosclerosis because it underlies coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral artery disease.
Nonatheromatous forms of arteriosclerosis include:
Arteriolosclerosis, hardening of the small arteries and arterioles
Mönckeberg medical calcific sclerosis, calcification of the media of arteries
