Vulnerable Plaque: What the Future Holds?

Background: The concept of vulnerable plaque has gained prominence over the past four decades. Extensive research into the pathophysiology of these plaques has been quite beneficial in assessing an individual susceptibility to cardiovascular events. Understanding the occurrence of cardiovascular events is crucial. Main Body: Vulnerable Plaque rupture along with plaque erosion contribute to acute coronary syndrome in over half of patients. The primary objective of this discussion is to demonstrate recent research findings on various diagnostic methods for the early detection, prevention, and treatment of patients at high risk of developing vulnerable plaques. Current studies and research are focused on various future imaging techniques that can detect this specific plaque pathophysiology. Identifying patients prone to vulnerability and implementing more intensive treatments for coronary atherosclerosis are key areas of ongoing investigation. Short conclusion: Plaques which are more vulnerable to rupture causing MACE can be identified with the evolution of new non-imaging and imaging modalities to prevent risk of CAD.