The Leading Cause Of Coronary Artery Disease

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The coronary arteries are the major blood vessels which supply the heart with blood, oxygen, and nutrients. When the coronary arteries become damaged or diseased, this is due to Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Plaque which contains cholesterol deposits along with inflammation within the arteries is typically to blame for CAD (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Because it takes decades for this disease to develop, it can go unnoticed until a heart attack occurs. CAD is by far the leading cause of death in the United States. The disease causes about one million heart attacks each year. More than 200,000 people with heart attacks will be deceased before they reach the hospital (Cleveland Clinic, 2013).
Plaque that builds up will narrow the coronary arteries,