Association between endothelin type A receptor haplotypes and mortality in coronary heart disease

Abstract

Coronary heart disease (CHD) encompasses a range of conditions including unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction (MI) and sudden ischemic death, characterized by the common pathophysiologic process of atherosclerotic plaque rupture and thrombosis [1,2] . CHD patients with a high risk of poor clinical outcome are identified with the use of biochemical and clinical measurements, including circulating cardiac markers and echocardiographic indices. Prognosis of patients varies widely and genetic factors are likely to play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of disease. The identification of genes that influence progression of disease may inform future patient management and care.