Atherosclerosis

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Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a disease of the arteries in which cholesterol is deposited in the vessel wall, resulting in narrowing and eventual impairment of blood flow. Severely restricted blood flow in the arteries to the heart muscle leads to symptoms such as chest pain. Atherosclerosis does not produce symptoms until blood flow is impaired.

Review Date: 7/4/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.

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