The coronary artery shown here has narrowing of its lumen due to build up of atherosclerotic plaque. Severe coronary arterial narrowing can lead to angina, ischemia, and infarction, depending on the severity and chronicity of the occlusion. The plaque shown here is complicated by calcification.

Smooth muscle cell apoptosis or macrophage apoptosis may lead to development of small calcifications (microcalcifications) which can coalesce into larger calcium deposits within atheromatous plaques.