Eating a high fat diet contributes to cardiovascular disease. Fats are carried around in the body via cholesterol and, over time, some cholesterol will stick to the walls of blood vessels. The build up is called plaque and has a thin layer over it. The build up of plaque hardens the arteries and can block them. This is the main cause of heart disease. Every adult has some build up in his or her blood vessels, but it is the extent of the blockage which is most important. Heart attacks, or myocardial infarctions as they are called in the health care world, commonly occur when the layer covering the plaque is torn and a person's body tries to repair it by clotting blood. The rush and activation of clotting materials causes more blockage and can quickly close it off, depriving the tissue of oxygen and nutrients. Hope this helps.
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