Like the blood vessels of the heart (coronary arteries) and brain (cerebral arteries), the peripheral arteries (blood vessels outside your heart and brain) also may develop atherosclerosis, the build-up of fat and cholesterol deposits, called plaque, on the inside walls. Over time, the build-up narrows the artery. Eventually the narrowed artery causes less blood to flow. That can lead to inadequate blood flow to the body's tissue.