Atherosclerotic coronary disease

Abstract

Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease is a complex biological process resulting in narrowing of the arterial vessels that supply the heart muscle with oxygen and nutrients. Despite major advances in the understanding of this process and its clinical management, it remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. In the United States, coronary artery disease accounts for about 500,000 deaths each year, of which about half are sudden. This chapter reviews the clinical presentation and treatment of this condition, focusing on advances and the biological insights they provide. Some of the leading hypotheses regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying this incompletely understood condition are considered. © 2006 Humana Press Inc.