Arteriosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis is the hardening and thickening of the walls of the arteries that occurs because of fatty deposits on the inner lining of arteries (atherosclerosis), calcification of the wall of the arteries, or thickening of the muscular wall of the arteries from chronically elevated blood pressure (hypertension). The progression of arteriosclerosis can be halted and even reversed by using medications that lower cholesterol (i.e. statins).