Ray Liotta died of ‘silent killer’ that affects half of US adults over 45

nypost.com:

cause of death one year ago this month has now been revealed.Liotta, 67, died from pulmonary edema and acute heart failure in his sleep while working on a movie in the Dominican Republic on May 26 of last year, according to documents obtained by TMZ, due to a condition that affects half of Americans over the age of 45: atherosclerosis.Dubbed a “silent killer,” atherosclerosis is marked by the slow buildup of plaque in your arteries, complications of which include both pulmonary edema and acute heart failure.Experts describe plaque as a sticky byproduct in the blood that’s made up of a combination of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other deposits.

As plaque clogs the walls of the vascular system, arteries become hard and narrow. Eventually, the plaque can block blood flow altogether.

This can lead to complications, such as those that led to Liotta’s death. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, around half of Americans between the ages of 45 and 84 have atherosclerosis and don’t know it as the disease develops slowly and the onset of symptoms is often delayed until conditions have become dire — and too late, for some.Most symptoms of the “silent killer” are considered medical emergencies, and if you are experiencing them, it’s important that you seek medical attention immediately.One of the most common symptoms of atherosclerosis is agonizing and extremely painful muscle cramps in your hips and legs when you walk.

These symptoms will stop when you rest.It may be an indicator of peripheral artery disease, which reduces blood flow to the legs and arms.