Cardiovascular Disorders Chapter 201. In arteriosclerosis of the aorta and its major branches, fibrosis and some intimal thickening develop with aging, with weakening and disruption of the elastic lamellae.
Hypertension plays a major role in aortic atherosclerosis and aneurysm formation.
Possible intimal injury, ectasia, and ulceration may lead to thrombus formation, embolism, or complete vessel occlusion. Arteriolosclerosis describes hypertrophy of the media and subintimal fibrosis with hyaline degeneration that develops in small muscular arteries or arterioles. Hypertension is a major factor. Sometimes the vessel is converted for some length into a rigid calcified tube, without narrowing the lumen, and is of little clinical consequence. All rights reserved.