Genetisch bepaalde afkomst en morfologische en moleculaire kenmerken van carotisplaques

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the primary global cause of death, accounting for nearly 17.9 million deaths annually, with over 75% occurring in low- and middle-income countries [1]. Atherosclerosis, its main driver, is influenced by gender, aging, smoking, hypertension, family history and genetics, type 2 diabetes, lifestyle, and dyslipidemia – risk factors that correlate with socio-economic status and may vary across ethnicities [2–4]. However, they fail to fully explain observed ethnic disparities in relative rates of CVD [3,4].