Coronary artery disease is a condition in which the coronary arteries are narrowed by deposits called #plaques.

The coronary arteries originate from the aorta and supply blood and oxygen to your heart muscle allowing it pump blood to the body. Normal coronary arteries allow blood to flow freely. However, these arteries can become narrowed by inflammatory fatty deposits called #plaques. This disease process is called #atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis that occurs in the coronary arteries is called coronary artery disease.

These plaques build up over time and can decrease the amount of #oxygen reaching your heart. Mild coronary artery disease may develop over decades without any #symptoms. More severe #coronary artery disease can cause chest pain, called #angina, and shortness of #breath.

If a plaque suddenly ruptures, a blood #clot can form and block the heart’s blood supply. This is called a heart attack and it can cause permanent damage to the heart. Over time, severe coronary artery disease can also weaken the heart muscle and lead to #heart_failure or cause #arrhythmias, and abnormal #heartbeat.