Atherosclerosis

Who'sat risk of atherosclerosis?

Exactlywhy and howarteries become clogged is unclear.

It can happen to anyone, althoughthe following things can increase your risk:

increasing age
smoking
an unhealthy, high-fat diet
lack ofexercise
being overweight orobese
regularly drinking excessive amounts ofalcohol
other conditions, including high blood pressure,high cholesterol and diabetes
a family history of atherosclerosis and CVD
being ofsouth Asian,Africanor African-Caribbean descent

You can't do anything about some of these factors, but by tackling things such as an unhealthy diet and a lack of exercise,you can help reduce your risk of atherosclerosis and CVD.

You can also read more specific advice about preventing CVD.

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018

Articles for atherosclerosis

Introduction

Find out about atherosclerosis, a potentially serious condition where arteries become clogged with fatty substances. Read about the problems this can cause and who's at risk.

Healthrisks of atherosclerosis

If left to get worse, atherosclerosis can potentially lead to a number of serious conditions known ascardiovascular disease (CVD). There won't usually be any symptoms until CVD develops.Types of CVD i

Who'sat risk of atherosclerosis?

Exactlywhy and howarteries become clogged is unclear.It can happen to anyone, althoughthe following things can increase your risk: increasing age smoking an unhealthy, high-fat diet lack ofexercise

Treatmentsfor atherosclerosis

There aren't currently any treatments that can reverse atherosclerosis, but the healthylifestyle changes suggested above mayhelp stop it getting worse.Sometimes additional treatment to reduce the risk

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