The number of patients with disabling angina who are not amenable to revascularization is growing progressively. A majority of these patients have undergone at least one coronary artery bypass procedure…
The manifestations of ischemia in non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS), are caused by a severe flow-limiting stenosis or occlusion of a coronary artery. In the majority of cases there are…
The mortality rate from coronary heart disease (CHD) in the United States has decreased 40% over the past two decades. About half of this mortality benefit is attributed to advancements…
Interventional cardiology has evolved significantly since the first percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was performed in 1977. Advances in stent technology, delivery systems, and peri-procedural medical therapy have significantly improved…
The central role of the unstable plaque and disturbed endothelial function in acute coronary syndromes is described in Chapters 6 and 17 . This chapter briefly reviews these mechanisms and…
Inflammation has been associated with myocardial infarction, even before the recognition that acute coronary thrombi cause coronary occlusion and a time-dependent loss of myocardial muscle. In response to injury, the…
The Role of Thrombosis in Ischemic Heart Disease Although acute coronary syndromes are divided for the purpose of treatment assignment into unstable angina, non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and ST-segment…
Coronary atherosclerotic disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Western world. Atherosclerosis is a multifocal process generally confined to the intima of the coronary arteries. Despite…
The current focus of the management of the acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is on antithrombotic and antiplatelet agents and the selection and timing of revascularization procedures. With a few notable…
Ischemic preconditioning refers to the ability of short periods of ischemia to make the myocardium more resistant to a subsequent ischemic insult. This term was introduced for the first time…
