Diagnosis and treatment of acquired coronary artery disease in adults.

Abstract

Coronary artery disease evolves, often unnoticed, over decades, often culminating in myocardial infarction. Metabolic and behavioural risk factors affect the development and progression of atherosclerotic lesions. The diagnosis may be arrived at clinically but typically involves confirmatory and prognostic laboratory tests and imaging studies. Treatment measures are aimed at controlling symptoms and preventing disease progression. In patients with clinically stable disease, treatment centres upon preventing disease progression using lifestyle modification, medical therapy and revascularisation for patients in whom medical treatment failure may be imminently fatal. In patients with acute coronary syndrome, urgent treatment is required in order to arrest lesion progression.