Here's a surprise: older plaque lining your arteries, blocking them even up to 90%, is less likely to cause a heart attack than new plaque which may block the artery only 20 or 30%. This is because old plaque has grown a tough, fibrous cap, or membrane. You lucked out there. But newer plaque, almost as soon as it's laid down, develops a delicate membrane which cracks easily as inflammation damages it and high blood pressure pounds it. Then the body's natural tendency to form a clot over damaged tissue can cause sudden, complete blockage of the artery. That part of the heart muscle is starved for oxygenated blood, and dies. Yes, a heart attack.
So. Even if you lucked out with the older plaque, there's damage done last week to arteries, and disaster could still strike unless you start dieting and exercising today. I truly don't mean to scare you, but you should know that problems are even more likely now, since the old plaque has already narrowed arteries and done invisible damage.
How do you keep that new plaque from forming at all? Only by diet and exercise. Some medications are wonderful, but very recent studies show that nothing's as good as exercise and losing weight to get that new, more dangerous plaque to re-absorb; i.e, get picked up by your HDL and taken to the liver, where it's broken down and excreted.
Gone! Thank you HDL. I'll start taking better care of you.
Younger plaque is more dangerous 
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