MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Zhu-Ming Zhang, MD, MPH, FAHA Associate Professor Epidemiological Cardiology Research Center (EPICARE) Wake Forest School of Medicine Medical Center Blvd, Winston Salem, NC 27157 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Heart disease still is the leading cause of death globally. About 635,000 new cases of coronary heart disease occur annually in the United States, with an additional 155,000 incidentally discovered asymptomatic silent myocardial infarctions (SMI). Silent myocardial infarctions, defined as the presence of pathological Q waves in the absence of a history of typical cardiac symptoms, is one of the important cardiac abnormalities, and given them medical attention could prevent subsequent adverse outcomes or even their lives. (more…)