Pathobiology of atherosclerosis: are there racial and ethnic differences?

Ethnic differences in the prevalence of complex diseases such as atherosclerosis are undoubtedly multifactorial. It is clear that there are social, environmental, biologic, genetic, and other determinants leading to disparities in the rate of coronary heart disease among different ethnic and racial groups. Many epidemiologic studies have characterized the social and environmental factors leading to these differences, but there has been relatively limited investigation of the potential biologic and genetic factors involved. In this review, we will summarize currently available data on ethnic differences in cardiac risk factors, vascular biology, and genetic determinants of atherosclerosis.