Atherosclerosis refers to a condition in which plaque gradually builds up in the wall of an artery.
When fatty deposits containing cholesterol enter the blood vessel walls, immune cells are sent to the site to collect these fatty deposits, and transform them into hard plaque.
This causes the walls to thicken, meaning less blood can flow through them at a time. Atherosclerotic plaques are visible as bulges along the affected artery, and can rupture and form blood clots from within the arteries.
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