Affiliation:
1. First Department of Cardiology, Evagelismos General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
Abstract
Abstract:
The aim of this review was to examine the literature regarding younger individuals
without classical risk factors for atherosclerosis who develop coronary artery disease
(CAD) prematurely at an early age. An extensive literature review was undertaken
in Pubmed, Scopus, and Google Scholar regarding early-onset or premature atherosclerosis,
CAD, its diagnosis, management, and prophylaxis. There are individuals of both genders,
particularly in the younger age group of 20-40 years of age, who lack the traditional/
classical risk factors and still develop CAD and other manifestations of atherosclerosis.
Even the 10-year age gap in manifesting CAD that is noted between women and
men ascribable to a cardioprotective effect of sex hormones may not be noted under these
circumstances. This indicates that the risk profile differs in young patients with non--
classical atherosclerotic risk factors, and factors such as genetics, inflammation, thrombosis,
psychosocial, environmental, and other parameters play an important role in
atherosclerosis and other mechanisms that lead to CAD in younger individuals. These patients
are at risk of major adverse cardiac events, which determine their prognosis. Unfortunately,
current major guidelines do not acknowledge that many patients who manifest
premature CAD are at high risk, and as a consequence, many of these patients may
not be receiving guideline-directed hypolipidemic and other therapies before they present
with symptoms of CAD. Caretakers need to be more vigilant in offering efficacious
screening and strategies of prevention for early-onset or premature CAD to younger individuals.
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.