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How does arteriolosclerosis affect small arteries and arterioles?

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The role of coronary artery disease in heart attack — cardiovascular disease This micrograph shows a cross section of a coronary artery narrowed by an atherosclerotic plaque (purplish matter inside the artery). Most heart attacks are caused by the rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque, which triggers the formation of a clot that abruptly blocks blood flow to part of the heart muscle.

Arteriolosclerosis is a form of arteriosclerosis that specifically affects small arteries and arterioles. The pathology involves a thickening of the vessel walls, which results in the narrowing of the arterial lumen—the central channel through which blood flows.1

This reduction in luminal diameter can lead to ischemia, a condition characterized by insufficient blood flow and oxygen supply to the organs served by the affected vessels. The development of arteriolosclerosis is most frequently associated with high blood pressure and diabetes mellitus, though it is also considered a normal component of the aging process. When this process occurs specifically within the kidney, it is referred to as nephrosclerosis, which can lead to progressive renal tissue deterioration.12