C-reactive protein, prothrombotic imbalance and endothelial dysfunction in acute coronary syndromes without ST elevation.

Unlabelled: Inflammation is considered a crucial step in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). C-reactive protein (CRP) is proposed to be included in risk stratification of ACS patients. However, it is not yet known if CRP is only a risk marker, or merely a risk factor in the development of ACS.

Subclinical atherosclerosis, carotid intima-media thickness and the cardiovascular risk.

The refinement and the improvement of the cardiovascular risk factors assessment became one of the high priorities in the global approach of cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies showed that increased carotid intima media thickness (IMT) is a relatively simple noninvasive marker of the global atherosclerotic disease, even in the asymptomatic stage. There is a strong link between IMT and both traditional and emerging cardiovascular risk factors, and IMT also predicts the occurrence of major cardiovascular events.