[Epidemiology of coronary artery disease].

In developed countries, coronary artery diseases (CAD) represent a common and serious disease, and cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death. During the last decade, however, several epidemiological studies have suggested a significant reduction in the Incidence of myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality in many countries. In France, data from "FAST-MI programme" (observational studies including acute coronary syndrome) show a dramatic decline in mortality (approximatively 50%) regardless of the type of acute coronary syndrome. This evolution can be explained by several factors: overall improvement in organization of care, better implementation!of recommendations, substantial change in the patient risk profile, increasing use of invasive strategy, adjunctive therapies... However, decline mortality of stable CAD is more complex to evaluate.Therefore, the improved prognosis of patients with myocardial nfarction appears to be one of the factors that have contributed to the decline in cardiovascular mortality. For the future, the challenge will be to maintain these results, strengthen preventive measures and improve long-term prognosis in particular by developing the therapeutic education programs.