Atherosclerosis: The Silent Killer
Atherosclerosis is one of a group of health problems that define coronary artery disease, oftentimes referred to as heart disease. Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of heart disease in the United States. The following is the definition provided by the American Heart Association:
Atherosclerosis (ath"er-o-skleh-RO'sis) comes from the Greek words athero (meaning gruel or paste) and sclerosis (hardness). It's the name of the process in which deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This buildup is called plaque. It usually affects large and medium-sized arteries. Some hardening of arteries often occurs when people grow older (AHA, 2005).
Atherosclerosis is different from Arteriosclerosis, though the two are oftentimes concurrently present as a result of heart disease and are likewise confused. Arteriosclerosis is defined by the Well-Net group......
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