[Risk factors in atherosclerotic coronary heart disease].

Coronary heart disease (CHD), which is caused by atherosclerosis, is the most common cause of death worldwide, and the prevention of CHD is therefore an essential clinical and public task. Classical risk factors like smoking, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia, are combined in several risk scores to estimate the risk for a cardiovascular event within the next 10 years. Despite their clinical success it is important to note that current methods have limited sensitivity and a low positive predictive value. Therefore, new biomarkers need to be identified to improve risk stratification. This review describes the pathogenesis and risk stratification of CHD, and provides an overview of the most important new biomarkers and their current applications in the prevention of CHD.