When Should I Be Worried About Atherosclerosis?

This article was medically authored by Dr. Eric Hardee and last reviewed for accuracy on 05/26/2026.

When should I be worried about atherosclerosis, and what is this condition? Atherosclerosis is the hardening of the arteries due to plaque or fatty deposits. This can limit the blood flow through the arteries that are affected. But what causes this condition? And when should you worry about atherosclerosis? Keep reading to find out.

Key Takeaways

• Minimally-invasive procedures such as angioplasty and atherectomy can treat the condition without surgery
• Atherosclerosis describes narrowing of your arteries due to plaque build up
• Risk factors include high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes and being over the age of 50
• Since atherosclerosis increases your risk for PAD, heart attack and stroke, regular screening and early intervention is key to protecting your health

Atherosclerosis: Causes and Symptoms

Atherosclerosis can occur in arteries anywhere in the body- lower extremities, upper extremities, heart, or brain for example. Several different factors can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. These include:

• high cholesterol and/or triglycerides
• high blood pressure levels (hypertension)
• smoking
• diabetes
• being above the age of 50
• following a diet that’s high in saturated fat
• obesity, especially when you have fat around your abdomen

With mild atherosclerosis, many individuals have no symptoms. As the condition progresses in various parts of the body the symptoms will present differently and can pose a significant threat to overall health. In the lower extremities (legs) we refer to atherosclerosis as peripheral arterial disease (PAD). In its early stages patients will notice leg pain or cramping while walking 1-2 blocks that resolves with resting for several minutes. This specific symptom is called claudication. PAD is progressive and as the blood flow continues to be compromised by atherosclerosis, patients will note a worsening of their claudication symptoms as well as pain at rest.

When Should I Be Worried About Atherosclerosis? Now, So Prevention is Key

If you wish to prevent plaque from building up in your arteries, you can focus on reducing risk factors. First, make dietary changes, working to include more whole grains, fruits and veggies and trying to reduce or eliminate foods that are high in sodium, trans and saturated fats. (Check out this diet to reduce PAD risk for more tips on foods to eat and foods to avoid.)

Getting regular exercise of moderate intensity, several days a week, can help manage cholesterol and blood pressure. It can also help you manage stress and lose weight, addressing additional risk factors for atherosclerosis. If you smoke or vape, you should quit immediately. And you should regularly have your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels monitored. These screenings can help you receive an earlier PAD diagnosis if prevention efforts are unsuccessful. Then, as soon as you receive your diagnosis, you can seek early intervention and prevent serious complications.

Treating Atherosclerosis and PAD in Texas

At our Texas Endovascular clinics in Houston, Sugar Land, Katy, Clear Lake, the Woodlands and Dallas, our interventional radiologists can treat atherosclerosis and resolve PAD symptoms using minimally invasive procedures. The course of treatment will depend on your disease progression, but options include angioplasty (widening your artery with a medical balloon); stenting (keeping your artery open with a medical device known as a stent); and atherectomy (a procedure that breaks up plaque deposits in your artery with the assistance of a catheter.)

If you’re wondering, when should I be worried about atherosclerosis, we invite you to  request a consultation  with the interventional radiologists at one of our seven locations in and around Houston and Dallas. When you come into one of our offices, we’ll assess your blood flow using an arterial doppler ultrasound. If results are abnormal, we may suggest further imaging tests to properly assess your current state of health, helping us craft your individualized treatment plan.