Acs

Acute Coronary Syndrome
Synonyms	N/A
Pronounce	N/A
Specialty	N/A
Symptoms	Chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, sweating
Complications	Myocardial infarction, heart failure, arrhythmia
Onset	Sudden
Duration	Variable
Types	N/A
Causes	Atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease
Risks	Smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia
Diagnosis	Electrocardiogram, blood tests, coronary angiography
Differential diagnosis	N/A
Prevention	N/A
Treatment	Medication, percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary artery bypass grafting
Medication	N/A
Prognosis	Variable
Frequency	Common
Deaths	N/A

Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) is a term used to describe a range of conditions associated with sudden, reduced blood flow to the heart. It encompasses conditions such as unstable angina, non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Pathophysiology

Acute Coronary Syndrome is primarily caused by the rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque in a coronary artery. This rupture leads to the formation of a thrombus (blood clot) that can partially or completely block the flow of blood to the heart muscle. The resulting ischemia (lack of oxygen) can cause damage to the heart muscle, leading to the symptoms and complications associated with ACS.

Risk Factors

Several risk factors contribute to the development of ACS, including:

• Smoking
• Hypertension
• Diabetes mellitus
• Hyperlipidemia
• Obesity
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Family history of coronary artery disease

Symptoms

The symptoms of ACS can vary, but commonly include:

• Chest pain or discomfort, often described as a pressure or squeezing sensation
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sweating
• Lightheadedness or dizziness

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of ACS is based on a combination of clinical evaluation, electrocardiogram (ECG) findings, and blood tests.

Electrocardiogram

An ECG is used to detect changes in the heart's electrical activity that may indicate ischemia or infarction. Specific patterns, such as ST-segment elevation or depression, can help differentiate between STEMI and NSTEMI.

Blood Tests

Blood tests are used to measure cardiac biomarkers, such as troponin, which are released into the bloodstream when the heart muscle is damaged.

Coronary Angiography

In some cases, a coronary angiography may be performed to visualize the coronary arteries and assess the extent of blockage.

Treatment

The treatment of ACS aims to restore blood flow to the heart and prevent further complications. Treatment options include:

Medications

• Antiplatelet drugs (e.g., aspirin, clopidogrel)
• Anticoagulants (e.g., heparin)
• Beta-blockers
• ACE inhibitors
• Statins

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) involves the use of a balloon catheter to open up blocked coronary arteries, often followed by the placement of a stent to keep the artery open.

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

In some cases, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) may be necessary to bypass blocked arteries and improve blood flow to the heart.

Prognosis

The prognosis for individuals with ACS varies depending on the severity of the condition, the timeliness of treatment, and the presence of underlying health issues. Early intervention and adherence to treatment can improve outcomes significantly.

Prevention

Preventive measures for ACS include lifestyle modifications such as quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy diet, engaging in regular physical activity, and managing risk factors like hypertension and diabetes.

See Also

• Coronary artery disease
• Myocardial infarction
• Angina pectoris

Cardiovascular disease A-Z

Most common cardiac diseases

• Cardiac arrhythmia‎
• Cardiogenetic disorders‎
• Cardiomegaly‎
• Cardiomyopathy‎
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation‎
• Chronic rheumatic heart diseases‎
• Congenital heart defects‎
• Heart neoplasia‎
• Ischemic heart diseases‎
• Pericardial disorders
• Syndromes affecting the heart‎
• Valvular heart disease‎

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

• Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
• Acute decompensated heart failure
• Arteriosclerotic heart disease
• Athletic heart syndrome
• Atrial flutter
• Atrioventricular fistula
• Cardiovascular disease in Australia
• Autoimmune heart disease

B

• Brown atrophy of the heart

C

• Ebb Cade
• Cardiac allograft vasculopathy
• Cardiac amyloidosis
• Cardiac asthma
• Cardiac tamponade
• Cardiogenic shock
• Cardiogeriatrics
• Cardiorenal syndrome
• Cardiotoxicity
• Carditis
• Coronary artery aneurysm
• Coronary artery anomaly
• Coronary artery disease
• Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
• Coronary artery ectasia
• Coronary occlusion
• Coronary steal
• Coronary thrombosis
• Coronary vasospasm
• Cœur en sabot
• Coxsackievirus-induced cardiomyopathy

D

• Duke Treadmill Score
• Duroziez's disease

E

• Eisenmenger's syndrome
• Embryocardia
• Endocardial fibroelastosis
• Eosinophilic myocarditis

H

• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
• Heart to Heart (1949 film)
• High-output heart failure
• Hyperdynamic precordium

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

I

• Idiopathic giant-cell myocarditis
• Interventricular dyssynchrony
• Intraventricular dyssynchrony
• Isolated atrial amyloidosis

K

• Keshan disease

L

• Loeffler endocarditis

M

• Mydicar
• Myocardial bridge
• Myocardial disarray
• Myocardial rupture
• Myocardial scarring
• Myocardial stunning
• Myocarditis

N

• Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis

O

• OLR1
• Ostial disease

P

• Papillary fibroelastoma
• Pathophysiology of heart failure
• Postpericardiotomy syndrome
• Pulmonary vein stenosis

R

• Right axis deviation
• Roemheld syndrome

S

• Saturated fat and cardiovascular disease
• SCAR-Fc
• Shone's syndrome
• Strain pattern
• Subacute bacterial endocarditis
• Sudden cardiac death of athletes

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

T

• Traumatic cardiac arrest

V

• Ventricular aneurysm
• Vibroacoustic disease
• Viral cardiomyopathy

W

• Waon therapy