Arteriosclerosis is a medical condition that refers to the hardening of the arteries, which are blood vessels that deliver oxygen-rich blood from the heart to all the organs and tissues in the body. Over time, the walls of the arteries can harden, becoming thick and stiff, which can interfere with blood flow and disrupt the normal workings of the circulatory system. Arteriosclerosis can be dangerous because it develops silently, and a person may have no symptoms for a long time until the hardening of the arteries leads to complications.

Atherosclerosis is a specific type of arteriosclerosis that occurs when plaque, cholesterol, and other substances build up in and on the artery walls, leading to the narrowing of the arteries and reduced blood flow. Atherosclerosis can cause a range of symptoms depending on which arteries are affected. For example, if a person has atherosclerosis in their heart arteries, they may experience chest pain or pressure (angina), while atherosclerosis in the arteries leading to the brain can cause sudden numbness or weakness in the arms or legs, difficulty speaking or slurred speech, temporary loss of vision in one eye, or drooping muscles in the face, which signal a transient ischemic attack (TIA) .

The arteriosclerosis prognosis is good when the condition is treated early with healthy lifestyle changes, medicines, or medical procedures. A number of factors can contribute to arteriosclerosis, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, insulin resistance or diabetes, obesity, smoking or use of other tobacco products, and inflammation from other diseases.