1. What is atherosclerosis all about? Atherosclerosis is a common type of arteriosclerosis. At the beginning of atherosclerosis, cholesterol and other fatty substances are deposited on the artery wall, causing fibrosis and thickening of the wall, making the artery lumen narrow and the artery wall hard and brittle. This is called atherosclerosis because the cholesterol deposits look like a porridge. The disease mostly occurs in middle-aged and elderly people over 40 years old. Main manifestations: cerebral atherosclerosis: dizziness, headache and syncope when cerebral blood flow is reduced; thrombosis can lead to stroke, aphasia and paralysis; cerebral atrophy can lead to mental symptoms and dementia. Coronary artery atherosclerosis: prone to angina pectoris and myocardial infarction. Renal artery atherosclerosis: may develop intractable hypertension, renal colic, urinary closure, etc. Lower extremity atherosclerosis: pain and intermittent claudication of the lower extremities may occur, and gangrene may occur in severe cases. Mesenteric atherosclerosis: Indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, etc. may occur. In case of thrombosis, abdominal pain, abdominal distension and blood in the stool may occur. Aortic sclerosis: Aortic aneurysm may occur.