{"id":649,"date":"2026-09-02T10:00:32","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T10:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medatlashealth.com\/?p=649"},"modified":"2026-09-16T19:17:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T19:17:00","slug":"atherosclerosis-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medatlashealth.com\/rs\/atherosclerosis-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Atherosclerosis Explained: How Plaque Builds Up in Your Arteries"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Atherosclerosis is often described simply as \u201cclogged arteries.\u201d But what happens inside an artery is far more complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plaque does not suddenly appear, nor is it simply a layer of fat sticking to the inside of a blood vessel. Atherosclerosis is a slow, progressive disease involving cholesterol, inflammation, immune cells, and changes within the artery wall itself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The process can begin years or even decades before symptoms appear. Over time, plaque can narrow an artery and restrict blood flow. More dangerously, an unstable plaque can rupture and trigger the formation of a blood clot \u2014 potentially leading to a heart attack or stroke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how does a healthy artery gradually develop atherosclerosis?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s follow the process from the inside.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n