Atherosclerosis , also called hardening of the arteries, is caused by the buildup of plaque, principally in the form of cholesterol, in the coronary arteries that feed the heart mucle with blood, nutrients, and oxygen. Heart attack , or myocardial infarction, is literally the death of heart tissue. The damage to the heart can be mild to severe. Heart failure is when the heart is not pumping adequate amounts of blood to the body. High blood pressure , or hypertension, is a mostly-controllable malady that afflicts many.
Stroke is a blockage or rupture of the blood vessels that supply the brain.