ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular diseases are a leading global cause of death (WHO 2011). Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of cardiovascular disease: it is the end result of a process called atherosclerosis, by which an atheroma – a plaque of fatty deposits – forms on the inner layer of the coronary artery and impedes the flow of blood to the heart. In the early stages, the build-up of these deposits is silent (symptom-less) but, as the disease progresses, it can induce a variety of conditions ranging from mild chest pains (angina) and shortness of breath to heart failure and sudden death.
