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sclerosis of the arterial walls

sclerosis of the arterial walls

Thickening and loss of elasticity of arterial walls. Atherosclerosis is the most common form of arteriosclerosis and involves lipid deposition and thickening of the intimal cell layers within arteries. Additional forms of arteriosclerosis involve calcification of the media of muscular arteries (Monkeberg medial calcific sclerosis) and thickening of the walls of small arteries or arterioles due to cell proliferation or hyaline deposition (arteriolosclerosis).

Arterial sclerosis; a fibrous overgrowth, mainly of the inner coat of an artery, associated with degenerative changes in the middle coat, causing thickening of the arterial wall with loss of elasticity and contractility.

Hardening of arterial walls.

The hardening and thickening of the intima and, to a lessening degree, of the media and adventia of an artery by an increase of connective and elastic tissue, together, frequently, with a deposit of lime salts, following fatty infiltration of the three coats. [Gr.]