I70: Atherosclerosis

I70.9: Generalized and unspecified atherosclerosis

The arteries carry the blood from the heart to the body. In your case, fats and calcium have been deposited in the wall of your arteries. This can make the wall of the arteries harder and thicker. The deposits can also cause the arteries to get narrower. Then, sometimes, not enough blood can get to the body.

Narrowed arteries can cause various problems. For example, the leg muscles may get sore as a result of doing something strenuous. The skin may tingle or be numb. Moreover, wounds may not heal well if the skin is not getting enough blood. And the organs can sometimes no longer work properly if they do not get enough blood.

Various risk factors can favor deposits in blood vessels. These include, for example, smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure.