Coronary heart disease: reducing your risk.

Coronary heart disease (also called CHD) is sometimes called coronary artery disease. A coronary artery is a blood vessel that carries blood to your heart. Arteries are like narrow tubes. A fatty substance called plaque can build up in your arteries, blocking or slowing the flow of blood and oxygen through them. This can happen in any artery, but when it happens in the coronary arteries, your heart doesn't get the blood and oxygen it needs to work properly and you could have a heart attack.