Coronary artery disease (CAD)

Coronary artery disease (CAD) starts with a buildup of fatty deposits in the lining of the arteries supplying blood to the heart. Due to this process -- called atherosclerosis -- the narrowed arteries can't keep up a healthy flow of blood to the heart. As CAD worsens, heart function is increasingly affected. CAD is sometimes called "hardening of the arteries."

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