What causes arterial plaque?
Plaque that accumulates on the inner walls of your arteries is made from various substances that circulate in your blood. These include calcium, fat, cholesterol, cellular waste, and fibrin, a material involved in blood clotting. In response to plaque build-up, cells in your artery walls multiply and secrete additional substances that can worsen the state of clogged arteries. As plaque deposits grow, a condition called atherosclerosis results. This condition causes the arteries to narrow and harden. Although experts don’t know for sure what starts atherosclerosis, the process seems to stem from damage to the arterial wall. This damage, which enables the deposition of plaque, may result from: • High “bad” cholesterol and low “good” cholesterol. High levels of “bad” cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein (LDL), are major contributors to arterial plaque formation. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. Everyone also has “good” cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein (HDL), circulating i
