Prevention of coronary heart disease with pravastatin in men with hypercholesterolemia. N Engl J Med.
Most people think of heart disease as having a heart attack.
But the reality is that heart disease refers to any change in the normal functioning of the heart. Any abnormalities of the cardiovascular system can lead to serious complications if left untreated. The collection of lipids and cholesterol that build up is called plaque . High cholesterol, hyperlipidemia , is the major contributor to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a slow, progressive process which can be present for a long time without a person even knowing it.