Heart disease is caused either by disorders of the heart or of blood vessels supplying blood to and from the heart.
The heart gets oxygen and nutrients through blood vessels called coronary arteries. The term, coronary artery disease is used for problems which include: angina and heart attack, which may lead to other heart conditions such as heart failure.
The main cause of most coronary artery diseases or cardiovascular disease is a build up of ‘atheromatous plaque’ - a fatty deposit within the inside lining of the heart's arteries. Uncontrolled deposits of fats on the inner surface of the artery develop slowly over time if one does not take proper care. As a result, arteries become narrow, less flexible and more likely to get blocked by blood clots, causing serious damage to the heart without oxygen supply.
Other causes of heart disease are
- Spasm of blood vessels
- Disease of the valves or an emboli (break away piece from the valves)
- Increased demand of the heart
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