Lipoproteins, Inflammatory Biomarkers, and Cardiovascular Imaging in the Assessment of Atherosclerotic Disease Activity

Atherosclerosis is present in about 50% of asymptomatic adults at middle age and in nearly all elderly individuals. The traditional diagnostic and treatment paradigm has addressed risk detection and reduction of binary events, including myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and cardiovascular death. About 50% of all acute coronary syndromes occur in previously asymptomatic subjects, 90% of whom have modifiable risk factors; yet our current screening approaches fail to prevent the 1.2 million acute cardiovascular events that occur annually in the United States. In a patient with active disease, multiple treatment targets can be approached with a variety of lifestyle changes and medical therapy to render the disease quiescent in theory. A future approach may be interception of atherosclerosis before the identification of theoretical or actual risk of episodic events. This case review highlights use of advanced biomarkers and imaging to assess atherosclerotic disease activity in a 49-year-old asymptomatic woman who presents for evaluation after the death of her father from MI.