Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), principally ischemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke, are
the leading cause of global mortality and a major contributor to disability. This paper reviews …

The first nonsurgical techniques for heart biopsy were reported in 1958. 2 In the 1960s the
safety of heart biopsy improved, with vascular access through the right external or internal …

Observational studies of necrotic core progression identify intraplaque hemorrhage as a
critical factor in atherosclerotic plaque growth and destabilization. The rapid accumulation of …

Background: The burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remains unclear in many
regions of the world. Objectives: The GBD (Global Burden of Disease) 2015 study integrated …

Background Heart failure can result from a variety of causes, including ischemic,
hypertensive, toxic, and inflammatory heart disease. However, the cellular mechanisms …

Background Intraplaque hemorrhage is common in advanced coronary atherosclerotic
lesions. The relation between hemorrhage and the vulnerability of plaque to disruption may …

Please note: This work was supported by U54 TR001433-05, National Center for Advancing
Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health. Dr. Fayad has received consulting fees …

Objectives: In a computed tomographic (CT) angiography study, we identified the
characteristics of atherosclerotic lesions that were associated with subsequent development …

Today's concept of vulnerable plaque has evolved primarily from the early pioneering work
uncovering the pivotal role of plaque rupture and coronary thrombosis as the major cause of …

The authors summarize the recent developments in speckle-tracking echocardiography
(STE), a relatively new technique that can be used in conjunction with two-dimensional or …