Glossary

A relatively thick-walled, muscular tube that carries blood around the body.

degenerative disease of the artery walls, indicated by the presence of cholesterol or foamy white blood corpuscles (see below).

A process in which tissue (in this case, the artery walls) becomes hardened as a result of deposits of insoluble salts.

Disease of veins and arteries that supply blood to the brain.

Fat-like substance that circulates in the blood.

The study of abnormal or diseased tissue.

High blood cholesterol.

High blood pressure.

Innermost layer of a blood vessel.

A space in the interior of a tubular structure; in this case, the channel in an artery through which the blood flows.

The middle layer of a blood vessel.

The measurement of the form of organisms or their parts.

A state of being freely open.

Any disorder affecting blood flow through veins or arteries that are not close to the heart.