Atherosclerosis: The Enemy Within

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Why Atherosclerosis Is Deadly

If plaque ruptures or cracks and the resulting clot is so large that it suddenly and completely blocks blood flow, a downstream organ or tissue may be damaged or die due to lack of oxygen.

In some cases, a part of the clot may break off and get lodged in a smaller artery. If blood flow is halted in a coronary artery, the result is a heart attack. If it happens in the carotid artery or brain, it’s a stroke.

Another form of atherosclerosis is an aneurysm, a bulging and gradual enlargement or ballooning of the artery caused by damage and weakening of the blood vessel wall.

Aneurysms can rupture suddenly and cause uncontrolled internal bleeding, or arteries downstream from the aneurysm can become blocked due to the breaking off of clots from inside the bulge.