{"id":2672,"date":"2022-12-02T11:37:25","date_gmt":"2022-12-02T11:37:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/?page_id=2672"},"modified":"2023-10-20T15:34:11","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T14:34:11","slug":"atherosclerosis","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/atherosclerosis\/","title":{"rendered":"Atherosclerosis"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Arteries & circulation<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Atherosclerosis<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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What is atherosclerosis?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Atherosclerosis<\/strong> is a disease caused by the build-up of plaque on the interior walls of our arteries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Most of us think of plaque as a kind of fatty or waxy substance but, in reality, it’s a living tissue that forms on the artery lining in response to inflammation and irritation. It has a core made of cholesterol, fats, calcium, and dead cells, and an overlying fibrous cap.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Plaque stiffens and narrows the arteries and restricts the flow of blood. It can also rupture or cause blood clots, and the clots or plaque fragments can then completely block blood flow, leading to a heart attack, stroke, or other serious complication.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Atherosclerosis<\/strong> is extremely common. A famous autopsy study\u00a0involving 300 U.S. soldiers<\/a> who were killed in the Korean War (1950-53) found that 77% of them had atherosclerosis<\/strong>, even though their average age was only 22 years old. This finding has been validated by numerous other studies since 1953.<\/span><\/p>

The US soldiers’ atherosclerosis<\/strong> would have been entirely asymptomatic at that stage but, had these young men lived to reach their 60s or 70s, many of them would have begun to experience problems.<\/span><\/p>

Atherosclerosis<\/strong> can affect any artery in your body, and its impact on your health will vary depending on which arteries are involved.<\/span><\/p>

Typically, you won\u2019t experience any symptoms until your arteries have become significantly narrowed or blocked by plaque.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Atherosclerotic plaque narrowing an artery<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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