Scanning the Genome for Coronary Risk

Coronary artery disease remains an enormous clinical problem, affecting more than 15 million people in the United States alone, where it is the most common cause of death (accounting for one in three deaths).1 The prevalence of coronary heart disease is increasing at a particularly alarming rate in developing nations, which are ill equipped to shoulder the associated economic burden.2,3 The clinical need this represents underscores the importance of understanding the causes of coronary disease and identifying persons at risk.Much progress has been made toward these goals. We now recognize many clinical risk factors — such as hyperlipidemia . . .