Plural of atheroma; fatty deposits that build up inside artery walls, narrowing blood vessels and restricting blood flow.
From Greek 'athero-' (gruel or porridge, referring to the paste-like fatty substance) + '-oma' (a medical suffix for abnormal growths). The term emerged in the 1600s as physicians recognized these deposits resembled a porridge-like material.
These deposits are basically your arteries getting clogged like a sink drain—except instead of grease and hair, it's cholesterol and calcium. Once doctors understood what atheroma meant, they could finally name the disease process that was silently damaging people's hearts!
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