Arteriosclerosis is described as which?

• A. Thickening/hardening of the arterial walls, typical of old age
• B. Deposit of plaque on arterial walls, causing stenosis
• C. Inflammation of arterial walls
• D. Elastic disruption of arteries

Answer: (A)

Arteriosclerosis is thickening and hardening of the arterial walls, which makes the arteries less stretchy and more rigid. This change often comes with aging and can raise systolic blood pressure because the stiff vessels don’t expand as well with each heartbeat.

This differs from plaque buildup inside the arteries, which is atherosclerosis and leads to narrowing of the lumen (stenosis). Inflammation of the arterial walls describes vasculitis, a different condition. Elastic disruption of arteries points to injuries or aneurysms, not the general stiffening seen in arteriosclerosis.

So the description that fits arteriosclerosis best is the thickening and hardening of the arterial walls.