“Atherosclerosis is important because the main diseases many middle-aged and older people fear, such as heart attack and stroke, are based on atherosclerotic changes,” said Juta Kraav, a clinical evaluator at the State Agency of Medicines and a recent doctoral graduate of University of Tartu. At the same time, autopsy studies from the 1990s have

South Africa’s health burden is undergoing a major shift. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease are now the leading cause of death, according to the latest global and local data. While infectious diseases remain a concern, the fastest-growing risks are tied to everyday behaviours, including poor diet, inactivity, smoking and delayed