The Robert W. Berliner Professor of Medicine at the Yale University School of Medicine, Michael Simons has been teaching and studying cardiovascular science for more than two decades. Over the course of his career, Yale professor Michael Simons has studied a wide range of conditions, including atherosclerosis.
A complex disease that may begin in childhood, atherosclerosis hardens and narrows the arteries, making it difficult for blood to flow through the body and heart. Most cases of this condition result from a buildup of plaque within the arteries. While the specific cause is unknown, the condition is most common among individuals who smoke or have high blood pressure and cholesterol.
These characteristics make a person more likely to have damaged arteries and problems with plaque buildup. As is the case with high cholesterol, white blood cells enter into the arteries to address the presence of bad cholesterol within the artery wall. Both the cholesterol and the white blood cells turn into plaque over time. Meanwhile, smoking, high blood pressure, and high amounts of sugar in the blood increase the amount of plaque that develops in the arteries, and age weakens the arteries and makes it easier for them to experience a buildup of plaque.
Over time, plaque buildup hardens the arteries and, if ignored, can break the arteries open. In response to a break in the artery, platelets begin sticking to the site, and this clump can create a blood clot. This makes the problem worse by placing further limitations on blood flow.
