Fatty plaque, not calcium, coats the arteries
susceptible to heart attack than those whose arteries are coated
with calcium-containing...
Patients whose arteries are clogged with fatty plaque may be more susceptible to heart attack than those whose arteries are coated with calcium-containing plaque, researchers report. The findings suggest that treatments aimed at reducing the build-up of cholesterol in the arteries may be more useful than drugs that seek to reduce amounts of plaque thatcontain calcium deposits, ReutersHealth reports. Dr. Richard T. Lee from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts who led the study explained that fatty plaque can be more dangerous than calcium-containing plaque because it is more likely to rupture and cause the formation of blood clots, which can cause heart attack and stroke. Full findings are published in the February 27th issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
