Arteriosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis is the thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the walls of arteries. This process gradually restricts the blood flow to one's organs and tissues and can lead to severe health risks brought on by atherosclerosis, which is a specific form of arteriosclerosis caused by the buildup of fatty plaques, cholesterol, and some other substances in and on the artery walls. It can be brought on by smoking, a bad diet, or many genetic factors. Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke, with multiple genetic and environmental contributions. Genetic-epidemiologic studies have  identified a surprisingly long list of genetic and non-genetic risk factors for CAD. However, such studies indicate that family history is the most significant independent risk factor. Signs and symptoms. The signs and symptoms of arteriosclerosis depend on the vessel affected by the disease. If affecting cerebral or ophthalmic vessels, as in cerebrovascular accidents or transient ischemic attacks, signs and symptoms may include sudden weakness, facial or lower limb numbness, confusion, difficulty understanding speech, and problems seeing. If affecting coronary vessels, as in coronary artery disease (including acute myocardial ischemia or a "heart attack"), signs and symptoms may include  chest pain. Pathophysiology. The lesions of arteriosclerosis begin as the intima (innermost layer of blood vessel wall) of the arterial wall start to fill up with the deposition of cellular wastes. As these start to mature, they can take different forms of arteriosclerosis. All are linked through common features such as the stiffening of arterial vessels, thickening of arterial walls and degenerative nature of the disease. Diagnosis. Diagnosis of an individual suspected of having arteriosclerosis can be based on a physical exam, blood test, EKG and the results of these tests (among other exams). Treatment. Treatment is often in the  form of preventive measures of prophylaxis. Medical therapy is often prescribed to help prevent arteriosclerosis for underlying conditions, such as medications for the treatment of high cholesterol (e.g., statins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors), medications to treat high blood pressure (e.g., ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers), and antiplatelet medications. Lifestyle changes are also advised, such as increasing exercise, stopping smoking, and moderating alcohol intake. There are a variety of types of surgery: Epidemiology. In 2008, the US had an estimate of 16 million atherosclerotic heart disease and 5.8 million strokes. Cardiovascular diseases that were caused by arteriosclerosis also caused almost 812,000  deaths in 2008, more than any other cause, including cancer. About 1.2 million Americans are predicted to have a heart attack each year. History. The diagnostics and clinical implications of this disease were not recognized until the 20th century. Many cases have been observed and recorded, and Jean Lobstein coined the term "arteriosclerosis" while he was analyzing the composition of calcified arterial lesions. The name "arteriosclerosis" is derived the Greek words ἀρτηρία ("artēría", artery) and σκληρωτικός ("sklērōtikós", hardened).