Understanding Your Heart Condition

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Coronary artery disease (CAD), which leads to heart attack, is the most common type of heart condition. Atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in the inner walls of the arteries, is a major cause of coronary artery disease. Much of your cardiac rehab treatment plan centers on minimizing or reversing atherosclerosis through lifestyle changes and medicines.

No matter what condition brought you to cardiac rehab, learning how it developed and may progress may help you understand why it's so important to achieve your treatment goals.

Learn more about these conditions:

Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisors.

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Last Reviewed: Jul 31, 2016

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