Cardiovascular disease affects 20% of all Americans and is the leading cause of death in the USA. Every year approximately 1,500.000 Americans suffer from an acute myocardial infarction, and over 25% of the total number of deaths in this country are attributable to coronary artery disease. Unstable angina causes over 650,000 hospital admissions, and in the absence of medical therapy, the rate of progression from unstable angina to infarction is 12-20%. Since plaque disruption, plaque erosion, and acute intracoronary thrombus formation play major roles in the pathophysiology of both unstable...

Cardiovascular disease affects 20% of all Americans and is the leading cause of death in the USA. Every year approximately 1,500.000 Americans suffer from an acute myocardial infarction, and over 25% of the total number of deaths in this country are attributable to coronary artery disease. Unstable angina causes over 650,000 hospital admissions, and in the absence of medical therapy, the rate of progression from unstable angina to infarction is 12-20%. Since plaque disruption, plaque erosion, and acute intracoronary thrombus formation play major roles in the pathophysiology of both unstable...