Understanding Arteriosclerosis: Causes, Effects, and Risks

2023-06-17 11:41:00

Arteriosclerosis is a vascular disease in which the smooth vessel walls of the arteries are gradually damaged by inflammatory reactions. This causes so-called plaques to form, thickenings in the vessel wall.

Over the years, these plaques clog the arteries, impeding blood flow. In the worst case, a plaque can rupture. A blood clot is then formed that completely closes off the blood vessel. If this happens at the level of the heart, we speak of a heart attack. If this happens at the height of the brain, we speak of a cerebral infarction or stroke.