Can chronic stress contribute to the development of clogged arteries, and what physiological mechanisms might link prolonged stress to cardiovascular issues?

As you know already, high amounts of inflammation can damage your arterial tissue and your body will try to heal the damage with plaques. Chronic stress can eventually lead to inflammation because one of the stress-regulating hormones is cortisol, which has anti-inflammatory properties. If your stress-regulating glands (adrenals) are worn out, producing too much cortisol over time, this can eventually result in inflammation, damage and arterial clogging.