Increasing Incidence of Coronary Artery Disease in Younger Men: Case Study of a 39-Year-Old

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death globally. While it is usually diagnosed after years of declining health or after a myocardial infarction (MI), we found that patients can be asymptomatic, posing a latent and life-threatening risk. We present the case of a man less than 40 years old, in whom heart disease was incidentally discovered during a CT scan performed for an unrelated condition. We examine the most common causes of CAD, the pathophysiology and discuss potential methods to screen for it before patients are in need of urgent or emergent interventional care due to an MI or other ischemic events. We also discuss the risk factors, many of which are modifiable, as well as the financial burden CAD places on the healthcare system and the patient. This case report contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of cardiology by bringing forward and emphasizing that CAD is no longer solely a disease of the elderly and that we need to begin rethinking how and when we screen for the leading cause of death in the world.