Coronary Atherosclerosis: Chronic Coronary Syndromes

Abstract

Coronary heart disease is widely prevalent and the greatest cause of mortality and morbidity in the United States [1–3]. Between 45% and 70% of war casualties in Korea and Vietnam, averaging 26 years of age, demonstrated coronary atherosclerosis at postmortem examination with 15%–20% having stenoses of 50% luminal area narrowing or greater [4–7], comparable to civilian trauma victims [8] and transplanted hearts from “normal donors” [9]. In the Olmsted, Minnesota study, prevalence of postmortem coronary atherosclerosis is age-related with 41% of 30–49-year-olds and 72% of 50–59-year-olds having 75% area narrowing (50% diameter stenoses) or greater [10, 11].