Coronary artery disease caused by atherosclerosis is responsible for one heart attack every ten minutes in Australia. Not all plaques however are equally dangerous or vulnerable, and stable plaques may be asymptomatic and associated with low risk of coronary events contrasted with the unstable or ruptured plaque. To discuss this very interesting subject in more detail we are joined by Dr James Sapontis, experienced cardiologist and head of complex coronary intervention at Monash Heart who will consider:

It is estimated that 1 in 4 Australian deaths relate to cardiovascular disease and that there are over 60,000 acute coronary events, including either angina or myocardial infarctions, recorded each year in Australia. In an attempt to reduce morbidity and mortality medical efforts have been directed to primary prevention and improving the selection of patients likely to require coronary intervention, such as cardiac stenting or revascularisation.