Everyone is worried about cholesterol blocking arteries, but not many know that calcium deposits in arteries are also dangerous. Dr Mukesh Goel, senior consultant, cardiothoracic and cardiovascular surgery, heart and lung transplant surgery, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals , says: “Arterial calcification is a serious yet often under-recognised concern. While cholesterol deposits initiate plaque buildup, calcification makes these plaques hard and rigid, reducing the arteries’ elasticity and blood flow.

This stiffness forces the heart to work harder, increasing the risk of hypertension, heart attack, and stroke. Calcified plaques are also less likely to rupture than soft plaques, but they still signify advanced atherosclerosis and long-standing vascular damage. Coronary artery calcium scori

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