Diagnosing Acute Coronary Syndrome and Determining Patient Risk

Acute coronary syndrome is a form of coronary artery disease, which has a broad range of clinical presentations. Generally, patients with acute coronary syndrome are categorized as having ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, or unstable angina. The findings on the 12-lead electrocardiogram and other information from a thorough history and clinical examination allow patients to be stratified according to their risk for further myocardial damage. Risk stratification will determine an individual patient’s need for aggressive cardiac treatment, observation, or referral. The clinical characteristics that can be used to determine a patient’s risk of a subsequent cardiac event or death are reviewed along with the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for immediate management after risk stratification. (Adv Stud Med. 2006;6(6B):S483-S490) INTRODUCTION