Professor Filippo Crea discusses Inflammation and coronary artery disease: ‘The vulnerable plaque hypothesis is definitely over’ at the 2015 ESC congress in London.

Questions:

1. Although inflammation is an important mechanism in atherogenesis, is it a real therapeutic target?
2. Do we have any evidence that this is the case?
3. Are statins effective because they are anti-inflammatory agents, or because they reduce cholesterol?
4. Is there any clinical evidence that anti-inflammatory drugs can help manage angina pectoris?
5.Is the vulnerable plaque hypothesis still current, or are we moving in a different direction with respect to cases of acute myocardial infarction?