Why does arterialsclerosis occur in arteries and not veins?

Answer 1

Simple, arteriosclerosis is related to damage to the lining epithelium (i.e. the cells covering the inside of a vessel).

There is no high flow or high pressure (which causes damage to epithelium) in veins it only takes place in arteries.

Answer 2

That's a good question - I had to do a little reasearch on it but I think I figured it out.

I has to do with size and consistancy:

In arteries:
There are narrow lumens
There is high density of muscle/elastic tissue

In veins:
There are wide lumens
There is less muscle/elastic tissue

In Arteriosclerosis, there is a hardening (and loss of elasticity) of the tissue in which the blood flows. The fibro-lipid (fibro-fatty) plaque is characterized by an accumulation of lipid-laden cells underneath the intima of the arteries, typically without narrowing the lumen due to compensatory expansion of the bounding muscular layer of the artery wall. This condition leads to the hardening and loss of elasticity.

The increased muscle density make it happen in arteries not veins. As the arteries harden, and since the are alsways under pressure from the heart, they are susceptible to injury. Since the lumen is so narrow each injury - as it is repair make the artery more narrow - and since it can't expand - there is a big problem!

Ref's

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atherosclerosis
http://www.ivy-rose.co.uk/Topics/Blood_Vessels.htm

Answer 3

Thats why the illness is named arterialsclerosis because it affects the arteries.