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Aspirin and Diabetes: Safety, Heart Health, and More

How does heart disease lead to cardiovascular events?

A cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke majorly occurs when insufficient blood is supplied to an organ. Heart attacks occur because of blocked blood flow to the heart, and stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is impeded. These cardiovascular events mostly happen because of the effects of a disease called atherosclerosis.

In atherosclerosis, a fatty agent called plaque accumulates on the walls of the blood vessel (artery). This makes the artery smaller and decreases the amount of blood that passes through it. This plaque could block a particular portion of the artery and, in some cases, block the artery.

In some cases, this fatty substance can rupture or tear. When the plaque ruptures, it causes the blood around that area to clot. The blood clot blocks the artery or moves from its point of formation to block another artery in the body such as the arteries in the brain or lungs. Blocking this artery impedes or reduces the blow of blood to the organ, causing organ failure.