Recently, atherothrombosis has emerged as the leading cause of death worldwide, despite several decades’ worth of efforts focusing on risk factor modification. As a result, improving understanding of atherothrombosis pathophysiology to identify opportunities to lower cardiovascular event rates and mortality is a high priority.
We now know that the majority of atherothrombotic events are associated with the rupture of vulnerable plaque; however, the factors that contribute to the progression from a stable to a rupture-prone lesion are largely unknown. Furthermore, it is not clear whether there are differences in mechanisms contributing to atherothrombosis in patients with acute and chronic disease. Future progress in managing atherothrombosis risk, therefore, may depend on the ability to identify individuals with rupture-prone lesions in a prospective manner, and to select the appropriate therapeutic interventions to prevent plaque rupture.
This satellite symposium will focus on current unmet needs in acute and chronic CHD, the latest research findings on the pathology of rupture-prone lesions, invasive and noninvasive coronary imaging techniques, the potential biologic mechanisms contributing to cardiovascular risk and atherothrombosis, and the potential applications of these research findings on clinical practice today.
