The 9p21.3 genetic region and coronary heart disease where do we go from here?

An enormous and continually growing body of evidence associates genetic variation at the 9p21.3 locus with various phenotypes of coronary heart disease (CHD). What remains to be discovered is the precise phenotype(s) that 9p21.3 predicts, the underlying specific genetic and pathophysiological mechanisms involved, the possible and optimal application of 9p21.3 genotyping in risk prediction, and the development of therapeutic interventions targeting the 9p21.3 mechanism(s). In keeping with the large universe of 9p21.3 literature, the study of Ardissino et al. confirms an association of an overall CHD phenotype with 9p21.3.