Coronary Vulnerability

This thesis aims to improve risk stratification of patients with coronary artery disease. Parts 1 and 2, respectively known as “Vulnerable Blood” and “Vulnerable Period” aimed at elucidating the role of various serum biomarkers, and repeated measurements thereof, in order to identify patients at increased risk of myocardial infarction, and more specifically to identify the specific timeframe of that increased risk. Part 3, “Vulnerable Plaque” is focused on invasive coronary imaging (coronary angiography, intravascular ultrasound and near-infrared spectroscopy) and the detection of prognostic plaque characteristics, as well as the relation between plaque components and serum biomarkers. Part 4 “Intervention Studies” describes the search for those patient subsets to derive most benefit from current (pharmacologic) interventions in coronary artery disease