Conditions like cancer tend to steal headlines, yet the leading cause of death in the United States is actually heart disease, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart disease is an umbrella term for a number of serious problems of the heart or blood vessels, usually due to narrowed, hardened arteries (a state known as atherosclerosis).
The reason atherosclerosis is so dangerous is that the hardened and partially blocked arteries put a lot of strain on the heart muscle as it tries to keep blood flow steady. This not only can result in heart disease, but it also increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, and heart failure.
