10 Causes of Heart Attacks
Cause #4: Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is characterized by a buildup of plaques inside the arteries. These atherosclerotic plaques are made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and many other substances. Every blood vessel in the body can get atherosclerotic. Over time, atherosclerotic plaques get hard and narrow the arteries, which of course will impair the normal blood flow to the body tissues and organs.
If atherosclerosis affects the coronary arteries, the normal blood supply to the heart muscle will be impaired. This means that if the lumen of the coronary arteries get blocked over 70% or if they get totally blocked, a heart attack develops.
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