[Editorial] Rethinking coronary artery disease: a call to action

For decades, the clinical approach to coronary artery disease has been centred on the acute effects of coronary occlusion and its culmination in myocardial ischaemia—a focus that has shaped both diagnostic and treatment strategies. However, atherosclerotic coronary artery disease is a lifelong, progressive condition that begins well before clinical symptoms arise. Without a change in thinking, opportunities for early detection, prevention, and long-term management are being missed; atherosclerotic coronary artery disease is therefore expected to cause 10·5 million deaths annually by 2050.