What causes heart disease and stroke?

A process called hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, can cause heart disease, a heart attack, or a stroke.

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis causes fatty deposits called plaque (pronounced “plak”) to build up inside blood vessels called arteries. Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood throughout your body. The plaque can limit blood flow in the arteries.

Heart disease

When plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, it is called heart disease or coronary artery disease. The heart doesn’t get the blood that it needs to work well. Over time, this can weaken or damage the heart. If the blood flow is blocked, it can cause a heart attack.

Stroke

Plaque can also build up in the neck arteries that go to the brain. Plaque in these arteries, called carotid arteries, can limit blood flow to the brain. If the blood flow is blocked, it can cause an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Another type of stroke is called a hemorrhagic stroke. This type of stroke happens when an artery in the brain leaks or bursts. This causes bleeding inside the brain or near the surface of the brain.

Women and heart disease

Women experience risks that can influence heart health. These include pregnancy-related problems as well as medicines they may be taking, such as birth control pills or hormone therapy. For example, plaque might build up differently in a woman’s arteries so that a doctor cannot see a blockage during a cardiac catheterization test. Researchers are trying to understand these differences to help find the best ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat women who have heart disease.

Exercise and heart disease

If you have an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), it’s important to talk to your doctor about what type and level of exercise is safe for you. Regular activity can help keep your heart and body healthy.

The type and amount of exercise that’s is safe for you will vary depending on the cause of your abnormal heart rhythm and whether you have other forms of heart disease. If your irregular heartbeat is caused by another type of heart disease (such as cardiomyopathy or a valve problem), you may need to limit your activity because of the other heart disease.