Final answer:
Arteriosclerosis is caused by plaque buildup within the arterial walls, leading to stiffening and thickening of the arteries. It often starts with endothelium damage due to various factors and is associated with several risk factors, including hypertension and lifestyle choices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Arteriosclerosis is a condition caused by the presence of plaque in the arterial tunics. Arteriosclerosis, including its more specific form atherosclerosis, involves the thickening and stiffening of artery walls due to the buildup of plaques. These plaques are composed of white blood cells, cholesterol, fats, and often become more fibrous due to the proliferation of smooth muscle cells. As the condition progresses, plaques may harden with the accumulation of calcium crystals, which leads to reduced elasticity of the arterial walls.
Initially, arteriosclerosis begins with an injury to the endothelium of an artery, which can be caused by high blood glucose, infection, tobacco use, or high blood lipid levels. The arterial walls may suffer more damage when under the stress of high-pressure blood flow, indicating that hypertension can be both a cause and a result of arteriosclerosis.
Several risk factors contribute to the development of arteriosclerosis, such as advanced age, genetic predisposition, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, and tobacco use.