Heart

What is Heart Disease?

Heart disease is the nation's leading health problem and cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. Atherosclerosis is the underlying process that causes most heart disease. Atherosclerosis is the disease of the arterial vessels that is marked by thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity in the arterial walls. It begins early in adulthood, but it may be decades before clinical disease shows up.