Atherosclerosis, or narrowing of the blood vessels, is one of the most common ailments in the modern world. It’s caused by the gradual build-up of fatty plaque in your veins and arteries. If left untreated, it can lead to heart attacks, permanent brain damage, aneurysms and chronic kidney disease.This disease is caused by injury to blood vessels. When the vessels become damaged, the body sends repair units to the site. These units patch up the damage with fatty plaque but permanently narrow the artery or vein. Eventually, you accumulate so many repaired spots that you can’t get enough blood through to the organs and tissues that need it. Sometimes the plaque even breaks off and enters the bloodstream. The drifting plaque can make its way to narrower blood vessels and completely block them.
