Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis involve the buildup of deposits on the insides of the artery walls,  which causes thickening and hardening of the arteries. In arteriosclerosis, the deposits are composed  largely of calcium; in atherosclerosis, the deposits consist of fatty substances. Both conditions have about the same effect on circulation, causing high blood pressure and ultimately leading to angina (chest pain  brought on by exertion), heart attack, stroke, and/or sudden cardiac death.

Although arteriosclerosis causes high blood pressure, high blood pressure can also cause arteriosclerosis. Calcium-based and fatty deposits typically form in areas of the arteries that have been weakened by high blood pressure or strain. The consequent narrowing of the arteries then makes blood pressure that is  already high even higher. As the arteries become less pliable and less permeable, cells may experience ischemia (oxygen starvation) due to insufficient circulation. If one of the coronary arteries becomes  obstructed by accumulated deposits, or by a blood clot that has either formed or snagged on the deposit, the heart muscle will be starved for oxygen and an individual will suffer a heart attack, also referred to as a myocardial infarction or coronary. Older people are at a greater risk for this kind of heart trouble. When arteriosclerosis occludes the arterial supply of blood to the brain, a cerebrovascular accident, or stroke, occurs.

Over 1 million Americans are disabled by peripheral vascular disease (diseases involving the blood vessels in the extremities) each year. Most of those affected have at least one of the major risk factors for atherosclerosis: smoking, family history of the disease, hypertension, diabetes, or abnormal cholesterol levels. Advancing age increases the likelihood of developing these diseases, as does atherosclerosis of the coronary or cerebral arteries.

Peripheral atherosclerosis, also called " arteriosclerosis obliterans", is a type of peripheral vascular disease in which the lower limbs are affected. In the early stages, the major arteries that carry blood to the legs and the feet become narrowed by fatty deposits. Atherosclerosis of the leg or foot not only can limit a person’s mobility, but may also lead to loss of a limb. People who have diseased arteries in the leg or foot are likely to have them elsewhere, mainly in the heart and brain. Early symptoms and warning signs of peripheral atherosclerosis include: aching muscles, fatigue, and cramp like pains in the ankles and legs. Depending on which arteries are blocked, there may also be pain in the hips and thighs.

Pain in the legs (most often in the calf, but sometimes in the foot, thigh, hip or buttocks) that is brought on by walking and is promptly relieved by rest is called intermittent claudication. This is often the first symptom of developing peripheral atherosclerosis. Additional symptoms include numbness, weakness, and a heavy feeling in the legs. These symptoms occur because the amount of oxygenated blood that makes it through the plaque-clogged arteries is insufficient to meet the needs of the exercising leg muscles. The closer the problem lies to the abdominal aorta, the central artery that branches into the leg, the more tissue is affected and the more dangerous the condition.