Turn on more accessible mode

Turn off more accessible mode

Skip Ribbon Commands

Skip to main content

Turn off Animations

Turn on Animations

Coronary Atherosclerosis

Coronary Atherosclerosis - Causes and Risk Factors

What causes coronary atherosclerosis?

Though the exact cause of coronary atherosclerosis is unknown, a number of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors increase a person’s possibility of having it.

What are the risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis?

Modifiable risk factors

High blood pressure (hypertension): High blood pressure can cause damage to the walls of blood vessels, allowing plaque to build up.
High cholesterol: Your total cholesterol levels should be kept as low as possible because any excess cholesterol may be deposited in the arteries. This build-up causes the arteries to harden and narrow, preventing or reducing blood flow to the heart.
Smoking: Nicotine, a chemical found in cigarettes, causes damage to blood vessels and also can cause constriction of vessels.
Diabetes mellitus: Diabetes results in damage of the inner layers of blood vessels, increasing the build-up of plaque.
Obesity: Being overweight can increase one’s risk of coronary atherosclerosis.
Unhealthy diet: Eating foods high in saturated fats can increase the level of cholesterol in the body which causes the build-up of plaque that clog the arteries.
Lack of exercise: An inactive lifestyle is associated with increased risk of coronary atherosclerosis.

Non-modifiable risk factors

Age: Those who are older have a higher risk of developing coronary atherosclerosis.
Genetics: Those with a family history of coronary atherosclerosis are more likely to suffer from this condition.

Video - Myths & Facts on Heart Attack and How to Reduce Risks

Coronary Atherosclerosis - Preparing for surgery

Coronary Atherosclerosis - Post-surgery care

Coronary Artery Disease / Coronary Heart Disease,

Article contributed by Department of Cardiology, National Heart Centre Singapore

The information provided is not intended as medical advice. Terms of use. Information provided by SingHealth

SingHealth

TOP

[{"SHPageId":"658","BodyPart":"#Heart#","BodyPartLst":["heart"],"Institution":null,"SHDoctorConditionsTreatments":"#Coronary Artery Disease / Coronary Heart Disease#, #Heart Attack (Chest Pain)#, #Coronary Angiography#, #Cardiac Catheterisation#, #Acute Coronary Syndrome#, #Coronary Angioplasty#, #Coronary Atherectomy#, #Coronary Stent Implantation#, #Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension#, #Coronary Atherosclerosis#, #Percutaneous Transluminal Balloon Valvuloplasty#, #Renal Denervation#, #Ischaemic Heart Disease#","SHDoctorConditionsTreatmentsLst":["coronary artery disease / coronary heart disease","heart attack (chest pain)","coronary angiography","cardiac catheterisation","acute coronary syndrome","coronary angioplasty","coronary atherectomy","coronary stent implantation","chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension","coronary atherosclerosis","percutaneous transluminal balloon valvuloplasty","renal denervation","ischaemic heart disease"],"SHDoctorAwards":null,"SHDoctorAwardsFullHtml":null,"SHDoctorClinicalDesgDisp":"Deputy Chief Executive Officer＆ Senior Consultant","SHDoctorClinicalDesgInstText":"48d80a29-eabe-421e-aa61-202648168f9e|2db248c4-2112-4fcf-a07d-d2fdf93f21ce;Senior Consultant|2db248c4-2112-4fcf-a07d-d2fdf93f21ce;c2c771d1-0cd2-4d8d-b904-8d9017c43f04|6a115828-2721-4036-9153-7d0eb7b6303f;Deputy Chief Executive Officer＆ Senior Consultant|6a115828-2721-4036-9153-7d0eb7b6303f;","ListSHDoctorClinicalDesgInst":[{"ClinicalDesgName":"Senior Consultant","ClinicalDesgId":"48d80a29-eabe-421e-aa61-202648168f9e","ClinicalDesgInst":"Sengkang General Hospital","ClinicalDesgInstId":"2db248c4-2112-4fcf-a07d-d2fdf93f21ce"}],"ListSHDoctorClinicalDesg":null,"SHDoctorClinicalDesgInstFirst":"Senior Consultant","SHDoctorAltDesgDisp":"","SHDoctorEducation":null,"SHDoctorEducationFullHtml":null,"SHDoctorProfile":null,"SHDoctorProfileFullHtml":null,"SHDoctorResearchInterests":"\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBiomarkers for chest pains\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e","SHDoctorResearchInterestsFullHtml":null,"SHDoctorResearchTrials":null,"SHDoctorResearchTrialsFullHtml":null,"SHDoctorProfAppointments":null,"SHDoctorProfAppointmentsFullHtml":"\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eDeputy Chief Executive Officer (Cluster Cardiac Care Network), National Heart Centre Singapore, 1 June to\u0026#160;Present\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eHead,\u0026#160;Department of Cardiology,\u0026#160;National Heart Centre Singapore, Jan\u0026#160;2022 to\u0026#160;May 2023\u0026#160;\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eDeputy Head, Department of Cardiology, National Heart Centre Singapore, Nov 2013\u0026#160;to Dec\u0026#160;2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eHead of Cardiology,\u0026#160;NHCS Cardiology @ SKH,\u0026#160;Sengkang General Hospital, 2015 to\u0026#160;2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eMember, Medical Board,\u0026#160;Sengkang General Hospital, 2018\u0026#160;to\u0026#160;2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eDirector, Coronary Care Unit,\u0026#160;National Heart Centre Singapore, May 2011 to Apr 2019\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eMember, Crisis Planning and Operations Taskforce Committee,\u0026#160;National Heart Centre Singapore, Oct 2023 to Present\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eSingapore Tourism Board Conference Ambassador, 2017 to Present\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eMember, Cardiovascular Sciences Academic Clinical Programme (CVS ACP) Research EXCO, May 2022 to Present\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eMember, Medical Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs (National Emergency Medical Services), 2013 to Present\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eMember, SAF Specialist Advisory Board in Cardiology, Jan 2023 to Present\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eChair, Continental Council World Heart Federation, 2018\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eBoard member, World Heart Federation, 2023 to 2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003ePresident, Singapore Cardiac Society, 2018 to 2019\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eBoard member, Singapore Heart Foundation, 2019 to Present\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cdiv\u003ePresident, Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology, 2019 to 2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003ePresident, International Society of Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy, 2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eClinical\u0026#160;Associate\u0026#160;Professor, Duke-NUS Medical School\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eAdjunct Assistant Professor, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eClinical Associate Professor, SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute (SDGHI)\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eClinical Assistant Professor, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e","SHDoctorPublications":null,"SHDoctorPublicationsFullHtml":null,"SHQualification":null,"SHQualificationFullHTML":"MBBS (S’pore), M Med (Internal Medicine), MRCP (UK), FAMS, FESC, FACC, MBA","SHDoctorThumbnailPhotoRender":"/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/doctors/portrait-photos/Jack%20Tan%20Wei%20Chieh.jpg","SHDoctorThumbnailPhoto":{"ImageUrl":"/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/doctors/thumbnail-photos/Jack%20Tan%20Wei%20Chieh.jpg","Hyperlink":"","OpenHyperlinkInNewWindow":false,"Alignment":"","AlternateText":"","BorderWidth":0,"Height":0,"HorizontalSpacing":0,"VerticalSpacing":0,"Width":0},"SHDoctorThumbnailPhotoUrl":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/doctors/thumbnail-photos/Jack%20Tan%20Wei%20Chieh.jpg","Description":"/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/doctors/thumbnail-photos/Jack%20Tan%20Wei%20Chieh.jpg"},"SHDoctorPortraitPhoto":{"ImageUrl":"/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/doctors/portrait-photos/Jack%20Tan%20Wei%20Chieh.jpg","Hyperlink":"","OpenHyperlinkInNewWindow":false,"Alignment":"","AlternateText":"","BorderWidth":0,"Height":0,"HorizontalSpacing":0,"VerticalSpacing":0,"Width":0},"SHDoctorPortraitPhotoUrl":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/doctors/portrait-photos/Jack%20Tan%20Wei%20Chieh.jpg","Description":"/sites/shcommonassets/Assets/doctors/portrait-photos/Jack%20Tan%20Wei%20Chieh.jpg"},"Email":"","SHDoctorRole":"Doctor;#Researcher;#","SHDoctorSalutation":"Clin Assoc Prof","SHDoctorFirstName":"Wei Chieh Jack ","SHDoctorLastName":"Tan","SHDoctorOtherName":"","SHDoctorHideProfile":false,"SHDoctorPrimarySpecialty":"Cardiology","SHDepartmentLink":null,"SHSpecialtyLink":null,"SHSubSpecialtyLink":null,"ListDoctorAcademic":null,"ListDoctorClinical":[{"SHDoctorClinAppPageItemId":"658","SHDoctorCorporateDesg":"","SHDoctorClinicalAltDesgText":null,"SHDoctorClinicalDesg":"Senior Consultant","SHDoctorClinicalInst":"Sengkang General Hospital","SHDoctorClinicalInstLogo":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/SKH-logo.jpg","Description":"/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/SKH-logo.jpg"},"SHDoctorClinicalInstUrl":{"Url":"https://www.skh.com.sg/","Description":"https://www.skh.com.sg/"},"SHDoctorClinicalDept":"NHCS Cardiology @ SKH","SHDoctorClinicalDeptLogo":null,"SHDoctorClinicalDeptUrl":null,"SHDoctorClnicApptsFURL":"tan-wei-chieh-jack","SHDoctorClinicalDisplayOrder":2},{"SHDoctorClinAppPageItemId":"658","SHDoctorCorporateDesg":"","SHDoctorClinicalAltDesgText":null,"SHDoctorClinicalDesg":"Deputy Chief Executive Officer＆ Senior Consultant","SHDoctorClinicalInst":"National Heart Centre Singapore","SHDoctorClinicalInstLogo":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/NHCS-logo.jpg","Description":"/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/NHCS-logo.jpg"},"SHDoctorClinicalInstUrl":{"Url":"http://www.nhcs.com.sg","Description":"http://www.nhcs.com.sg"},"SHDoctorClinicalDept":"Department of Cardiology","SHDoctorClinicalDeptLogo":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/NHCS-logo.jpg","Description":"/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/NHCS-logo.jpg"},"SHDoctorClinicalDeptUrl":{"Url":"https://www.nhcs.com.sg/patientcare/clinicalspecialtiesservices/cardiology/Pages/Home.aspx","Description":"https://www.nhcs.com.sg/patientcare/clinicalspecialtiesservices/cardiology/Pages/Home.aspx"},"SHDoctorClnicApptsFURL":"tan-wei-chieh-jack","SHDoctorClinicalDisplayOrder":1}],"ListDoctorSpecialty":[{"SHSpecialtyLink":"Cardiology","SHSubSpecialtyLink":"Interventional Cardiology","SHSpecialtyLinkDisplayOrder":1,"SHDoctorSpecPageItemId":"658","SHDoctorSpecialityFURL":"tan-wei-chieh-jack"}],"ListDoctorInstitution":[{"SHDepartmentLink":"#Department of Cardiology#","SHDepartmentLogoLink":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/NHCS-logo.jpg","Description":"/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/NHCS-logo.jpg"},"SHDepartmentUrlLink":{"Url":"https://www.nhcs.com.sg/patientcare/clinicalspecialtiesservices/cardiology/Pages/Home.aspx","Description":"https://www.nhcs.com.sg/patientcare/clinicalspecialtiesservices/cardiology/Pages/Home.aspx"},"SHInstitutionLink":"#National Heart Centre Singapore#","SHInstitutionLogoLink":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/NHCS-logo.jpg","Description":"/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/NHCS-logo.jpg"},"SHInstitutionUrlLink":{"Url":"http://www.nhcs.com.sg","Description":"http://www.nhcs.com.sg"},"SHInstLinkDisplayOrder":1,"SHDoctorInstPageItemId":"658","SHDoctorInstitutionFURL":"tan-wei-chieh-jack"},{"SHDepartmentLink":"#NHCS Cardiology @ SKH#","SHDepartmentLogoLink":null,"SHDepartmentUrlLink":null,"SHInstitutionLink":"#Sengkang General Hospital#","SHInstitutionLogoLink":{"Url":"http://authoring.sppub.healthgrp.com.sg/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/SKH-logo.jpg","Description":"/_catalogs/masterpage/HealthXChange/images/logos/SKH-logo.jpg"},"SHInstitutionUrlLink":{"Url":"http://www.sengkanghealth.com.sg/","Description":"http://www.sengkanghealth.com.sg/"},"SHInstLinkDisplayOrder":2,"SHDoctorInstPageItemId":"658","SHDoctorInstitutionFURL":"tan-wei-chieh-jack"}],"DoctorProfileInstitutionString":null,"DoctorProfileDepartmentString":null,"DoctorProfileSpecialtyString":null,"DoctorProfileSubSpecialtyString":null,"ListDoctorResearchAppointment":[],"DoctorResearchAppointmentItem":null,"StartDate":"\/Date(-62135596800000)\/","Path":"/profile/tan-wei-chieh-jack","LastUpdatedOn":"\/Date(-62135596800000)\/","LastUpdatedOnString":null,"SHDoctorAcademicProgLogo":null,"SHDoctorAcademicProgURL":null,"SHContentTagType":null,"SingHealthInstitution":"","SingHealthSpecialty":"","TypeOfContent":null,"DoctorFriendlyUrl":"tan-wei-chieh-jack","DoctorSpecialtyFriendlyUrl":null,"SHDoctorResearchEmail":null}]

Discover articles,videos, and guides afrom Singhealth's resources across the web. These information are collated, making healthy living much easier for everyone.

Understanding Chest Pain

Understanding Chest Pain

Super Foods Good for Your Heart

Super Foods Good for Your Heart

Exercises for Cardiac Patients (Sitting)

Exercises for Cardiac Patients (Sitting)

Exercises for Cardiac Patients (Standing)

Exercises for Cardiac Patients (Standing)