Definition

1. Noun:
   • A pathological condition characterized by the hardening and thickening of the arterial walls, typically due to the accumulation of plaque, loss of elasticity, or other degenerative changes. This term is a medical synonym for arteriosclerosis, a general term for the stiffening of arteries.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The autopsy revealed significant induration of the arteries, which contributed to the patient's heart failure.
  • A diet high in saturated fats can accelerate the process of induration of the arteries.
  • The doctor explained that induration of the arteries reduces blood flow and increases the risk of stroke.

Advanced Usage

• This term is primarily used in formal medical, pathological, or clinical contexts. It is often found in diagnostic reports, medical literature, and detailed patient explanations.
• It can be used metaphorically in non-medical contexts to describe a process of becoming rigid or inflexible, though this is rare and stylized.
  • The induration of the arteries in the company's bureaucracy stifled all innovation.

Variants and Related Words

• Arteriosclerosis (n): The general medical term for the hardening and loss of elasticity of the arteries, of which induration of the arteries is a synonym.
• Atherosclerosis (n): A specific and common form of arteriosclerosis involving the buildup of fatty plaques inside the arteries. This is a subtype of the condition described by induration of the arteries.
• Arterial sclerosis (n): Another synonymous term.
• Indurated (adj): Hardened. Used to describe tissues that have become firm or hard, often due to disease.
  • The tissue around the wound was indurated and inflamed.

Synonyms

• Arteriosclerosis: Hardening of the arteries.
• Arterial hardening: A more descriptive, non-technical synonym.
• Vascular sclerosis: Hardening of the blood vessels.

Related Phrases

• Hardening of the arteries: The common, layperson's phrase for this condition. Induration of the arteries is the more formal, clinical equivalent.

Noun

1. sclerosis of the arterial walls