The narrowing of arteries caused by plaque accumulation is known as hardened arteries. The wall of the blood artery hardens when plaque builds up. This reduces blood flow by narrowing the passage within the artery. The supply of oxygen and other nutrients reaching your organs and other parts of your body is reduced. A fragment of plaque can loosen, break away, and flow into an artery, where it may become trapped, causing:
● Heart attack
● Stroke
● Death
● Clots in the blood
● Carotid artery disease
● Coronary artery disease (occurs in your heart)
● Peripheral artery disease (PAD) (occurs in your heart)
● Chronic renal disease (occurs in your kidneys)

Symptoms of hardened arteries generally don’t appear until an artery has narrowed or blocked to the point in which it can’t provide enough blood to your organs and tissues. This is due to the fact that hardened arteries is a slow, progressive disease that can begin as early as childhood but can also progress rapidly. Usually there aren’t any symptoms when a person experiences mild hardened arteries. The symptoms of moderate to severe hardened arteries, on the other hand, depend greatly on which arteries are damaged. Consider the following scenario:

• You may have symptoms such as chest discomfort or pressure in your upper body, including your chest, arms, neck, or jaw, if you have hardened arteries in your heart (angina). Shortness of breath and/or an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) are other possible symptoms.
• You may have sudden numbness or weakness in your arms or legs, trouble speaking or slurred speech, temporary loss of vision in one eye, or drooping
  muscles in your face if you have hardened arteries in your brain. These symptoms indicate a transient ischemic attack (TIA), which can lead to a stroke if
  left untreated.
• You may have signs or symptoms of peripheral artery disease if you have hardened arteries in your arms and legs, such as leg discomfort when walking
  or low blood pressure in an affected limb.
• You may have high blood pressure or renal failure if you have hardened arteries in your kidneys.