This animation shows what actually happens as an artery clogs over time — and why this process often starts years before symptoms ever appear. Atherosclerosis isn’t caused by one bad meal or one stressful week. It’s a gradual buildup of plaque (fat, cholesterol, inflammation, and scar tissue) inside the artery walls. And the scariest part? You can have significant plaque without feeling a single symptom. Here’s what’s really going on inside the body: 🫀 1. It starts with damage to the artery wal