arteriosclerosis

American  

[ahr-teer-ee-oh-skluh-roh-sis] / ɑrˌtɪər i oʊ skləˈroʊ sɪs /

noun

1. degenerative changes in the arteries, characterized by thickening of the vessel walls and accumulation of calcium with consequent loss of elasticity and lessened blood flow.

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arteriosclerosis British  

/ ɑːˌtɪərɪəʊsklɪəˈrɒtɪk, ɑːˌtɪərɪəʊsklɪəˈrəʊsɪs /

noun

1. Nontechnical name: hardening of the arteries.  a pathological condition of the circulatory system characterized by thickening and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls

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arteriosclerosis Scientific  

/ är-tîr′ē-ō-sklə-rō′sĭs /

1. A thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls that results in impaired blood circulation.

2. See also atherosclerosis

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arteriosclerosis Cultural  

1. A disease commonly called hardening of the arteries. In arteriosclerosis, the walls of the arteries thicken and harden. The loss of flexibility results in a lessening of the flow of blood to the various organs of the body. (Compare atherosclerosis; see circulatory system.)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• arteriosclerotic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of arteriosclerosis

1885–90; < New Latin. See arterio-, sclerosis

Compare meaning

How does arteriosclerosis compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• atherosclerosis vs. arteriosclerosis

Example Sentences

The findings were published Feb. 12 in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, a journal of the American Heart Association.

From Science Daily • Feb. 15, 2026

Their study, released Wednesday in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, assessed outcomes for people sickened in the first year of the pandemic and followed for a period of nearly three years.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2024

Arteriosclerosis is hardening of the arteries that can restrict blood flow.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 19, 2023

Short sleepers had 50 percent more calcium in their coronary arteries than those who slept for seven hours per night, according to the results in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.

From Reuters • Sep. 10, 2015

Arteriosclerosis of the cerebral vessels is always a serious condition.

From Arteriosclerosis and Hypertension: with Chapters on Blood Pressure, 3rd Edition. by Warfield, Louis Marshall