Platelet collagen receptors and risk prediction in stroke and coronary artery disease.

The importance of thrombosis as a health hazard cannot be overestimated. Ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among both adult men and adult women in the developed western world.1,2 Recent evidence indicates that the incidence of this disease is steadily increasing among Asian populations,3 and cardiovascular disease is now the leading cause of death among native American Indians.4 Epidemiological studies indicate that these diseases result from complex interactions between genetic susceptibility factors, long-term environmental influences (for example, hormonal imbalance, smoking, or obesity), and established, intercurrent disorders (such as diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, or hyperhomocysteinemia).