Pathophysiology of acute coronary syndromes
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780199543496.003.0002
Myocardial infarction is caused by plaque rupture and erosion.
Most culprit plaques are less than 70 per cent stenosis.
Plaque composition and morphology determine clinical effects rather than plaque size.
Systemic therapy, for example via cholesterol reduction, alters plaque composition to a more stable morphology.