This two-part article provides an overview of the global burden of atherothrombotic cardiovascular
disease. Part I initially discusses the epidemiologic transition which has resulted in a …

Background Although more than 80% of the global burden of cardiovascular disease occurs
in low-income and middle-income countries, knowledge of the importance of risk factors is …

Background Warfarin reduces the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation but increases
the risk of hemorrhage and is difficult to use. Dabigatran is a new oral direct thrombin …

Background Despite the use of aspirin, there is still a risk of ischaemic events after
percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We aimed to find out whether, in addition to aspirin, …

Background The contribution of various risk factors to the burden of stroke worldwide is
unknown, particularly in countries of low and middle income. We aimed to establish the …

Background Half of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) have preserved left-ventricular
ejection fraction (LVEF), but few treatments have specifically been assessed in such patients. …

Background Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but the most predictive
measure for different ethnic populations is not clear. We aimed to assess whether markers of …

Background Vitamin K antagonists have been shown to prevent stroke in patients with atrial
fibrillation. However, many patients are not suitable candidates for or are unwilling to receive …

Background Psychosocial factors have been reported to be independently associated with
coronary heart disease. However, previous studies have been in mainly North American or …

An imbalance in oxygen supply and demand......................................................................... 337
Experimental evidence for possible mechanisms of benefit from beta blockade in acute MI …