CLINICAL PERSPECTIVES ON PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION OF CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Atherosclerotic heart disease continues to be a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Of all cardiovascular deaths, more than 50% are due to coronary heart disease (CHD), which accounts for almost one in four deaths in the United States. It is estimated that nearly 1.5 million Americans suffer from acute myocardial infarction each year, and of these, more than 500,000 die annually. This article presents the pathophysiologic process involved in atherosclerosis, an overview of the available data, and a discussion on the results of studies in the area of primary and secondary prevention of coronary atherosclerosis.