Heart disease continues to be the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States. The majority of these patients die as a result of atherosclerosis involving the heart and cardiovascular system. Atherosclerosis is a disease that is associated with living in a modern,industrialized nation. When countries such as China rapidly acquire this lifestyle,the incidence of atherosclerotic vascular disease increases strikingly. In the year 2002,approximately 700,000 individuals in the United States (29% of all deaths in the United States) died of heart disease. The projected cost for the immense burden of heart disease in the United States during 2006 was between $ 143 and $ 258 billion for health care services,medications,and lost productivity. Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease is now the most common cause of death in the entire world.
The American Journal of Medicine













































