Coronary heart disease
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Coronary heart disease, also called coronary artery disease, is a progressive reduction of blood to the heart muscle because of the narrowing of the coronary artery. It is caused by a build-up of atheromatous plaques inside the arteries that deliver blood to the myocardium (the muscular tissue of the heart). Most people with coronary heart disease can look well for years before they start experiencing symptoms, often a heart attack. If it goes untreated, some of the atheromatous plaques might break away and block the blood flow to the heart. Coronary heart disease is the most common cause of sudden death, and it is also the most common cause of death in people over 65 years old. Men are 10 times more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease than women.
