The underlying cause of heart disease for most people is atherosclerosis—the buildup of deposits called plaques (the build up from cholesterol, calcium, fatty substances, and fibrin) within the walls of arteries. These plaques decrease the size of the artery’s lumen, the channel or space through which blood flows. When atherosclerosis develops in the coronary arteries, it can decrease blood flow to the heart, causing chest pains called angina, or it can completely block blood flow and cause a heart attack. |
