Causes of Heart Disease Heart disease or coronary heart disease (CHD) is mainly caused by atherosclerosis. This occurs when the inner lining of the artery walls becomes covered with a thick atheroma made up of fatty deposits of cholesterol, cellular waste, and other substances. These form raised patches on the artery wall, known as 'plaques', which narrow the arteries, reducing the space through which blood can flow. At the same time the blood becomes more prone to clotting. Growing plaques can block the supply of nutrients to the artery walls, causing them to lose elasticity. This in turn can lead to increased blood pressure, which also increases the risk of coronary heart disease. When the arteries narrow, the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart muscle is limited, particularly when you exert yourself and the demands on the heart muscle increase. have recognized that the risk of developing coronary heart disease increases with age. Atherosclerosis takes a long time to develop, and arteries naturally become less elastic as we age, often leading to a greater risk of high blood pressure. It has been shown that women are at a greater risk of heart disease than any other disease. However, the female sex hormone, estrogen, creates a more favorable balance of fats in the blood and contributes to the elasticity and health of the arteries which help reduce blood pressure and therefore protect against coronary heart disease during the reproductive years. However, after menopause, or following a total hysterectomy, this natural protection can disappear and therefore these women are more at r...... middle of paper ...... it seems that even cholesterol and cholesterol increase blood clotting. These findings help explain how other risk factors for coronary heart disease may exert their harm; for example, smoking, age, kidney disease, and inactivity lead to increased homocysteine ​​levels, which in turn leads to a greater risk of developing heart disease. There are numerous factors that can increase your chances of having heart disease. Some of these, like your age, your gender or your ethnic group, you cannot control and therefore these people cannot blame themselves for developing heart disease. However, you have some control over some risk factors, such as what you eat, whether you smoke, and how much exercise you do. So it is possible to say that for these people it is possible to blame themselves for developing heart disease.