February is national heart month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Americans with more than 2,200 Americans dying of heart disease every day.
Heart disease or cardiovascular disease encompasses the heart and blood vessels. It includes several problems that can relate to a condition called atherosclerosis, which emerges from plaque build-up on the walls of the arteries. As this condition worsens, blood vessels become narrow, making it difficult for blood to flow through them.
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