Which statement correctly describes atherosclerosis?

• A. Widespread atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries
• B. Tiny deposits that affect the inner lining of arteries, causing narrowing and bruits over the carotid arteries
• C. Atherosclerosis only affects the heart valves
• D. Bacterial infection of the heart valves leads to atherosclerosis

Answer: (B)

Atherosclerosis is a chronic process in which lipid-rich plaques build up in the inner lining (the intima) of arteries. These deposits thicken and stiffen the vessel wall, causing narrowing of the lumen. When this happens in the carotid arteries, the blood flow becomes irregular and turbulent, which can be heard as a bruit over the neck. That description—tiny deposits in the inner lining of arteries leading to narrowing and a carotid bruit—best captures what atherosclerosis is and how it presents clinically. It’s not limited to the heart valves, and it isn’t caused by a bacterial infection of the valves.