According to the affected artery, the moderate to severe type may exhibit the following symptoms:

Coronary artery involvement may manifest as:

• An abnormal heartbeat, or arrhythmia.
• A chest ache or pressure.
• Chest, jaw, or arm pain.
• Breathing difficulties.

When the blockage happens in the arteries that supply blood to the brain:

• Sloppiness or difficulty speaking.
• Having trouble understanding or making judgments.
• Short-term blindness in either one or both eyes.
• Paralysis.

Involvement of arteries of the arms, legs, or pelvis, may show:

• Arms or legs tingling or feeling numb.
• Decreased blood pressure in an affected limb.
• Numbness of a leg or both.

• Unhealthy blood cholesterol – High LDL and low HDL levels in the blood.
• Long-term high blood pressure – which is often above 140/90 mmHg.
• Smoking – Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches the body’s tissues while also having the potential to tighten and harm blood vessels.
• Having diabetes may increase the chances.
• Overweight – a person’s body weight above what is deemed typical for their height.
• Growing older – the risk increases for women after age 55 and for men after age 45.
• Family history – When one or more family members have heart disease, the chance of having atherosclerosis is increased.