Singap Med J
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Coronary artery disease (CAD) is fast becoming a major morbidity and mortality burden in the developing world. The magnitude of the problem is predicted to exceed that of the developed world due to the sheer population numbers at risk. The Indian subcontinental ethnicity has been associated with a more severe form of CAD that has its onset at a younger age. ⋯ This distinction may facilitate more focused and ethnicity-specific studies to be carried out to unravel the mysteries surrounding the clinical, pathological and molecular biological aspects of the CAD syndrome among Asian Indian ethnics. The outcomes and findings of such investigations may help gain a stranglehold on this rapidly-progressing disease condition among the populations in emerging and densely-populated economies of the South Asian region, as well as among millions of Asian-Indian ethnics living all over the world. Thus we may brace ourselves to better address or even prevent what has been dubbed "the next major clinical epidemic of our times".