Arteries, disorders of

Disorders of the arteries may take the form of abnormal narrowing (which reduces blood flow and may cause tissue damage), complete obstruction (which may cause tissue death), or abnormal widening and thinning of an artery wall (which may cause rupture of the blood vessel). Atherosclerosis, in which fat deposits build up on artery walls, is the most common arterial disease. It can involve arteries throughout the body, including the brain (see cerebrovascular disease), heart (see coronary artery disease), and legs (see peripheral vascular disease). Atherosclerosis is the main type of arteriosclerosis, a group of disorders that cause thickening and loss of elasticity of artery walls. Hypertension is another common cause of thickening and narrowing of arteries, and it increases the risk of a stroke or kidney failure. Arteritis is inflammation of artery walls that causes narrowing and sometimes blockage. Aneurysm is ballooning of an artery wall caused by the pressure of blood flowing through a weakened area. Thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in a blood vessel, causing obstruction of the blood flow. Blockage of an artery by a fragment of blood clot or other material travelling in the circulation is called an embolism. Raynaud’s disease is a disorder involving intermittent spasm of small arteries in the hands and feet, usually due to cold.