Electron beam computed tomography: calcification and lipid lowering interventions

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Abstract
Over 50% of myocardial infarctions lead to sudden death without any prior warning signs or previously known coronary disease (1). Thus, persons with preclinical atherosclerosis must be identified prior to the onset of angina, MI, stroke or death. It has been estimated that primary prevention can avert more than 100,000 premature deaths each year in the United States alone and 10 times that worldwide (2). New modalities are being investigated to look for atherosclerotic plaque burden, plaque morphology, and endothelial function. Multiple trials on cholesterol reduction have reproducibly demonstrated a positive mortality benefit in primary (3, 4) and secondary (5–6) prevention combining diet with statins. Newer therapies, including antibiotics, antioxidants, and angiogenesis medications are being introduced for the possible prevention or treatment of coronary artery disease. The ability to track the progression or regression of atherosclerosis non-invasively would allow better evaluation of these therapies.

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