Answered by SecondMedic Expert
Cardiologist · Cardiology / Heart disease
Verified
The leading cause of heart disease is atherosclerosis, which is a build-up of plaque in the arteries. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, and other substances found in the blood.
The main risk factors for developing atherosclerosis are:
-smoking
-high blood pressure
-high levels of LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)
-low levels of HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)
-diabetes
-obesity
Other risk factors include: age, family history, sex (men are more likely to develop heart disease than women), race (African Americans are more likely to develop heart disease than people from other racial groups), and being inactive.
