During the past decade, cardiovascular medicine has made significant strides in the diagnosis and treatment of coronary heart disease and related disorders as well as developing a better understanding of potential preventive, risk-reduc ing measures. Highly sophisticated diagnostic instrumentation, surgical pro cedures, and emergency medical care have undoubtedly contributed greatly to the trend of declining mortality from cardiovascular events. In the course of the extensive research efforts associated with this area, it has become increas ingly apparent that the identified coronary risk...