Current Advancements in the Diagnosis and Management of Mild-to-moderate Coronary Stenosis

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Acute cardiovascular events frequently occur in patients with coronary artery stenoses exceeding 70%. Although coronary revascularization can significantly improve ischemic symptoms, the inflection point for reducing mortality from CHD has yet to be reached. Therefore, the prevention and treatment of mild-to-moderate coronary artery stenosis should be given significant attention to more effectively reduce the incidence and mortality of acute events from CHD. Subsequently, a stenosis of less than 70% is used to characterize the incidence of mild to moderate coronary artery stenosis. While acute cardiovascular events caused by soft plaque and plaque rupture may not have a significant impact on hemodynamics, these events are detrimental and result in increased mortality. This review summarizes the methods available for detecting mild-to-moderate coronary artery stenoses, assessing risk, and understanding the mechanisms underlying adverse events. Moreover, this review proposes intervention strategies for preventing and treating mild to moderate coronary stenosis.