Clogged arteries, also called atherosclerosis, happen when a sticky substance called plaque builds up inside your arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
When plaque collects along the inner walls, the space for blood to flow becomes smaller. This slows blood flow and can lead to serious health problems like heart attacks, strokes, or even death.
Plaque is made from cholesterol, fat, calcium, and other materials found in the blood. Over time, as more plaque builds up, it narrows the arteries more and more. The scary part is that clogged arteries usually don’t cause symptoms right away.
They develop slowly and often go unnoticed until a serious event happens. That’s why it’s important to learn the early warning signs—so you can get help before it’s too late.
One common early sign is chest pain or discomfort, also known as angina. It may feel like pressure, tightness, heaviness, or squeezing in the chest. This often happens when the heart has to work harder, like during exercise or times of stress.
The pain might go away when you rest, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. Sometimes the pain spreads to the arms, shoulders, neck, jaw, or back. If you ever feel chest pain, especially if it’s new or happens often, it’s important to see a doctor right away.
Another warning sign is shortness of breath. If your heart isn’t getting enough blood, it can’t pump properly. That means less oxygen reaches the rest of your body. You might feel out of breath doing simple things like walking up stairs or carrying groceries. This can happen to people of any age and should be taken seriously if it happens suddenly or gets worse over time.
Clogged arteries can also affect the legs. This condition is called peripheral artery disease, or PAD. The main sign is pain or cramping in the legs while walking, which usually goes away when you stop.
This happens because your leg muscles aren’t getting enough blood. You might also feel numbness, weakness, or notice sores on your feet or toes that heal slowly. If your legs hurt when you walk but feel better when you rest, it might be a sign of PAD.
Men should also know that erectile dysfunction (ED) can sometimes be an early clue. ED happens when not enough blood flows to the reproductive organs, and that reduced blood flow can also mean there’s plaque building up elsewhere, like in the arteries leading to the heart. Studies show that men with ED are more likely to develop heart disease later on.
Some warning signs are less obvious. Fatigue, jaw or neck pain, nausea, and sweating—especially during physical activity—can also be signs of heart trouble.
Women, in particular, may experience these symptoms instead of the more common chest pain. Because these signs are easier to miss or may be mistaken for other problems, heart disease in women is sometimes diagnosed later than it should be.
Unfortunately, many people don’t know they have clogged arteries until they have a heart attack or stroke. That’s why regular health checkups are important.
Blood tests to check cholesterol, blood pressure checks, and even simple questions about your lifestyle can help your doctor spot risks early. In some cases, special scans or imaging tests can show whether your arteries are becoming blocked.
Some habits raise the risk of clogged arteries. Smoking, eating foods high in unhealthy fats or salt, and not getting enough exercise are major risk factors. The good news is that healthy lifestyle changes really help.
Quitting smoking, eating more fruits and vegetables, staying active, and keeping your weight in a healthy range can slow down or even reverse the buildup of plaque.
Even small changes can make a big difference. Try walking 30 minutes a day, cooking more meals at home, or swapping fast food for fresh meals. The earlier you start, the more you can protect your heart and keep your arteries clear.
In short, clogged arteries often start silently, but they can send warning signs. Pay attention to chest pain, shortness of breath, leg pain, tiredness, and other unusual changes in your body. Getting help early and making healthy changes can save your life.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies that herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm, and how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that apple juice could benefit your heart health, and results showing yogurt may help lower the death risks in heart disease.
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