Atherosclerosis

          Atherosclerosis (ath-er-o-skler-O-sis) is a disease in which plaque (plak) builds up inside your arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to your heart and other parts of your body.
Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. Over time, plaque hardens and narrows your arteries, limiting the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your organs and other parts of your body. This can lead to serious problems, including heart attack, stroke, or even death.

Atherosclerosis-Related Diseases
Atherosclerosis can affect any artery in the body, including arteries in the heart, brain, arms, legs, and pelvis. As a result, different diseases may develop based on which arteries are affected.
Coronary Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease (CHD) occurs if plaque builds up in the coronary arteries. These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart.
Plaque narrows the coronary arteries and reduces blood flow to your heart muscle. It also makes it more likely that blood clots will form in your arteries. Blood clots can partially or completely block blood flow.
When blood flow to your heart muscle is reduced or blocked, it can lead to angina (chest pain) and a heart attack. CHD also is called coronary artery disease or heart disease. It's the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.
Plaque also can form in the heart's smallest arteries. When this happens, it's called coronary microvascular disease (MVD). In coronary MVD, plaque doesn't always cause blockages in the arteries as it does in CHD.
Carotid Artery Disease
Carotid (ka-ROT-id) artery disease occurs if plaque builds up in the arteries on each side of your neck. These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your brain. When blood flow to your brain is reduced or blocked, it can lead to a stroke.
Peripheral Arterial Disease
Peripheral arterial disease (P.A.D.) occurs if plaque builds up in the major arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to your legs, arms, and pelvis.
When blood flow to these parts of your body is reduced or blocked, it can lead to numbness, pain, and, sometimes, dangerous infections.