Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a word many people hear once and never get explained. Let us start with the definition. According to medlineplus.gov, atherosclerosis is a condition in which plaque builds up inside your arteries.

The same source adds that plaque often starts to build up during childhood and gets worse with age. The exact cause is unknown, but researchers believe that this buildup happens when there is damage to the arteries, says medlineplus.gov.

Start with the simplest questions

These three need no background at all.

• What is atherosclerosis?
• Which symptoms does atherosclerosis cause?
• Who tends to develop atherosclerosis?

Questions that take a little more reading

Once the basics make sense, these two ask you to think about what comes next.

• Can atherosclerosis be prevented?
• What other problems can atherosclerosis cause?

The most involved questions

Testing and care are the deepest part of the topic, so they come last.

• How is atherosclerosis diagnosed?
• How is atherosclerosis treated?

One easy next step

Pick a single question from the first list and read it all the way through before you open another. Bring anything about diagnosis or treatment to your own clinician, since this site explains and does not examine anyone.

For reading beyond this topic, the Society for Vascular Surgery has a page on carotid artery disease, and my.clevelandclinic.org has one on spider veins.