noun

• A disease of the arteries characterized by the deposition of fatty material on their inner walls.

  See also atheroma

  ‘The underlying cause of most heart attacks is atherosclerosis, a disease of the coronary arteries that usually develops over many years.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘The commonest cause of thrombosis in arteries is atherosclerosis.’
  • ‘Inflammation plays a central role in atherosclerosis, in which fatty deposits clog your arteries.’
  • ‘In atherosclerosis, fatty plaques develop on the inner lining so that the normal flow of blood is reduced.’
  • ‘High levels of homocysteine have been associated with atherosclerosis and cerebrovascular disease.’