title: Global perspective on acute coronary syndrome: a burden on the young and poor.
abstract: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the greatest single cause of mortality and loss of disability-adjusted life years worldwide, and a substantial portion of this burden falls on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Deaths from IHD and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) occur, on average, at younger ages in LMICs than in high-income countries, often at economically productive ages, and likewise frequently affect the poor within LMICs. Although data about ACS in LMICs are limited, there is a growing literature in this area and the research gaps are being steadily filled. In high-income countries, decades of investigation into the risk factors for ACS and development of behavioral programs, medications, interventional procedures, and guidelines have provided us with the tools to prevent and treat events. Although similar tools can be, and in fact have been, implemented in many LMICs, challenges remain in the development and implementation of cardiovascular health promotion activities across the entire life course, as well as in access to treatment for ACS and IHD. Intersectoral policy initiatives and global coordination are critical elements of ACS and IHD control strategies. Addressing the hurdles and scaling successful health promotion, clinical and policy efforts in LMICs are necessary to adequately address the global burden of ACS and IHD.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Cardiovascular Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (R.V., V.F.); Department of Biology and School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (B.S.); and Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain (V.F.).
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vedanthan
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Cardiovascular Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (R.V., V.F.); Department of Biology and School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (B.S.); and Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain (V.F.).
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Seligman
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Cardiovascular Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (R.V., V.F.); Department of Biology and School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (B.S.); and Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain (V.F.). valentin.fuster@mssm.edu.
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fuster
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D017677:Age Distribution; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D011203:Poverty; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: acute coronary syndrome; coronary disease; epidemiology; world health