Definition

1. Noun:
   • A medical condition characterized by the thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the walls of the arteries: This is a chronic, progressive disease where artery walls become stiff and narrowed due to the buildup of plaques, which can restrict blood flow.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor diagnosed the patient with hardening of the arteries, which explained his chest pain.
  • A diet high in saturated fat can contribute to hardening of the arteries over time.
  • Hardening of the arteries is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.

Advanced Usage

• As a general term for arteriosclerosis: While "hardening of the arteries" is often used interchangeably with "atherosclerosis" (the buildup of fatty plaques), it is technically the broader term "arteriosclerosis," which refers to any stiffening of the arteries.
  • The autopsy revealed significant hardening of the arteries throughout the body.

Variants and Related Words

• Arteriosclerosis (n): The medical term for the thickening and hardening of the arterial walls.
• Atherosclerosis (n): A specific type of arteriosclerosis involving the buildup of fatty deposits (plaques) inside the artery walls.
• Artery (n): Any of the muscular-walled tubes forming part of the circulation system by which blood is conveyed from the heart to all parts of the body.

Synonyms

• Arteriosclerosis: The formal medical synonym.
• Artery hardening: A less common, direct synonym.

Related Phrases

• Peripheral artery disease (PAD): A common circulatory problem often caused by hardening of the arteries in the limbs.
• Coronary artery disease (CAD): A condition often resulting from hardening of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle.

Noun

1. sclerosis of the arterial walls