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Adopting a healthy lifestyle, along with ongoing care and emotional support, may help you prevent or delay atherosclerosis and the problems it can cause.

Although the exact cause of atherosclerosis isn't known, studies show that atherosclerosis is a slow, complex disease that may start in childhood. It develops faster as you age.

Sleep apnea can be caused by a person’s physical structure or medical conditions. These include obesity, large tonsils, endocrine disorders, neuromuscular disorders, heart or kidney failure, certain genetic syndromes, and premature birth.

Three NHLBI-funded trials showed the health benefits of the DASH diet, such as lowering high blood pressure and LDL cholesterol in the blood, and shaped the final DASH eating plan recommendations.

A heart attack happens when the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a section of heart muscle suddenly becomes blocked and the heart can’t get oxygen. If you think you or someone else may be having heart attack symptoms or a heart attack, call 9–1–1 for emergency medical care.

Heart conditions and other disorders, age-related changes, rheumatic fever, or infections can cause acquired heart valve disease. These factors change the shape or flexibility of once-normal heart valves. The cause of congenital heart valve disease isn't know.

Carotid artery disease may not cause signs or symptoms until it severely narrows or blocks a carotid artery. Signs and symptoms may include a bruit, a transient ischemic attack (TIA), or a stroke. It is important to call 9–1–1 for emergency help if you think you are having a TIA or stroke.

Your doctor will diagnose a heart attack based on your signs and symptoms, your medical and family histories, and results from one or more tests: electrocardiogram (EKG), blood tests, and coronary angiography.

Your doctor will diagnose carotid artery disease based on your medical history, a physical exam, and results from one or more tests: ultrasound, angiography, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and computed tomography (CT) angiography.

Lowering your risk factors for coronary heart disease—through heart-healthy lifestyle changes and ongoing medical care—can help you prevent a heart attack.