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However, the development of more sensitive and specific serological biomarkers and precise imaging techniques allows detection of ever smaller amounts of myocardial necrosis. In studies of disease prevalence, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined myocardial infarction from symptoms, ECG abnormalities, and enzymes. In the past, a general consensus existed for the clinical syndrome designated as myocardial infarction. With these perspectives, myocardial infarction may be defined from a number of different clinical, electrocardiographic, biochemical, imaging, and pathological characteristics. It is an indicator of one of the leading health problems in the world, and it is an outcome measure in clinical trials and observational studies. Furthermore, the term myocardial infarction has major psychological and legal implications for the individual and society. From the epidemiological point of view, the incidence of myocardial infarction in a population can be used as a proxy for the prevalence of coronary artery disease in that population. Information on myocardial infarction attack rates can provide useful data regarding the burden of coronary artery disease within and across populations, especially if standardized data are collected in a manner that demonstrates the distinction between incident and recurrent events. A myocardial infarction may be the first manifestation of coronary artery disease, or it may occur, repeatedly, in patients with established disease. Myocardial infarction may be a minor event in a lifelong chronic disease, it may even go undetected, but it may also be a major catastrophic event leading to sudden death or severe hemodynamic deterioration. During unstable periods with activated inflammation in the vascular wall, patients may develop a myocardial infarction. Coronary atherosclerosis is a chronic disease with stable and unstable periods. Myocardial infarction is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Brian Gibler (USA), David Goff (USA), Marco Tubaro (Italy), Darek Dudek (Poland), Nawwar Al-Attar (France) Martinez-Rios (Mexico), Steve Steinhubl (USA), Glen N. Joao Morais, Review Coordinator (Portugal), Sorin Brener (USA), Robert Harrington (USA), David Morrow (USA), Udo Sechtem (Germany), Michael Lim (Singapore), Marco A.John Camm (UK), Raffaele De Caterina (Italy), Veronica Dean (France), Kenneth Dickstein (Norway), Gerasimos Filippatos (Greece), Christian Funck-Brentano (France), Irene Hellemans (The Netherlands), Steen Dalby Kristensen (Denmark), Keith McGregor (France), Udo Sechtem (Germany), Sigmund Silber (Germany), Michal Tendera (Poland), Petr Widimsky (Czech Republic), José Luis Zamorano (Spain) Priori (Italy), Michal Tendera (Poland), Liisa-Maria Voipio-Pulkki (Finland) Wallentin Coordinator (Sweden), Francisco Fernández-Avilés (Spain), Kim M. Gurfinkel (Argentina), José-Luis Lopez-Sendon (Spain), Prem Pais (India), Shanti Mendis (Switzerland), Jun-Ren Zhu (China) Poole-Wilson, Coordinator (UK), Enrique P. Armstrong, Coordinator (Canada), Elliott M. Intervention Group: Jean-Pierre Bassand, Co-ordinator (France), William Wijns, Coordinator (Belgium), T.Beller (USA), Robert Bonow (USA), Ernst E. Imaging Group: Richard Underwood, Coordinator (UK), Jeroen J.Clemmensen (Denmark), Mikael Dellborg (Sweden), Hanoch Hod (Israel), Pekka Porela (Finland) ECG Group: Bernard Chaitman, Co-ordinator (USA), Peter M.Kristin Newby (USA), Jan Ravkilde (Denmark) Apple (USA), Marcello Galvani (Italy), Hugo A. TASK FORCE MEMBERS: Chairpersons: Kristian Thygesen (Denmark), Joseph S.Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction Customer Service and Ordering Information.Stroke: Vascular and Interventional Neurology.Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA).Circ: Cardiovascular Quality & Outcomes.Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (ATVB).
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