Atherosclerosis alone can be the cause of stable angina, but it is rarely fatal. In contrast, the complication of thrombosis superimposed on atherosclerosis (atherothrombosis) plays a major role in the occurrence of life-threatening acute coronary syndromes [unstable angina (UAP), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and sudden cardiac death (SCD)]. In a report by Sakakura et al. (2013) on autopsy cases of coronary artery thrombosis-related deaths, 55–65% were due to plaque rupture, followed by plaque erosion at 30–35%, and calcified nodule at 2–7%. In addition to thrombosis due to plaque rupture or erosion, rapid expansion of the necrotic core due to intraplaque hemorrhage with subsequent thrombosis is also known. Regarding the degree of luminal stenosis, plaque rupture results in an average of 75–80% cross-sectional stenosis, while erosion results in 55–70% stenosis, suggesting erosion is less severe (Jia et al. 2013; Kramer et al. 2010; Xing et al. 2017).