Adults with persistent asthma may be at increased risk of heart attack or stroke because of excess plaque buildup in the carotid arteries, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association. People in the study had more plaque buildup in the carotid arteries, large arteries on the left and right side of the neck that carry blood to the brain, compared to people without asthma.