H E A RT AT TAC K ( M YO C A R D I A L I N FA RC T I O N )

Acute Coronary Syndrome

Authored by Dr Colin Tidy, Reviewed by Dr Adrian Bonsall | Last edited 24 Sep 2017 | Certi ed by The Information
Standard

The underlying problem is a sudden reduction of blood ow to part of the heart

muscle. This is usually caused by a blood clot.

What is acute coronary syndrome?

The term 'acute coronary syndrome' (ACS) covers a range of disorders, including a heart attack
(myocardial infarction) and unstable angina, that are caused by the same underlying problem.
Unstable angina occurs when the blood clot causes a reduced blood ow but not a total blockage.
This means that the heart muscle supplied by the affected artery does not die (infarct).

The underlying problem is a sudden reduction of blood ow to part of the heart muscle. This is
usually caused by a blood clot that forms on a patch of atheroma within a coronary artery (which is
described below).

The types of problems range from unstable angina to an actual myocardial infarction. In unstable
angina a blood clot causes reduced blood ow but not a total blockage. Therefore, the heart
muscle supplied by the affected artery does not die (infarct). The location of the blockage, the
length of time that blood ow is blocked and the amount of damage that occurs determine the
type of ACS.

Symptoms
The most common symptom is severe chest pain:

The pain often feels like a heavy pressure on your chest.

The pain may also travel up into your jaw and down your left arm, or down both arms.
 May be similar to a bout of normal (stable) angina. However, it is usually more severe and lasts
longer. ACS pain usually lasts more than 15 minutes.

Some people with an ACS may not have any chest pain, particularly those who are elderly or
those who have diabetes.

You may also sweat, feel sick and feel faint.

You may also feel short of breath.

Risk factors
ACS is common. Most occur in people aged over 50 and become more common with increasing
age. Sometimes younger people are affected.

The risk factors for having an ACS are actually the same as the risk factors for having a heart
attack or cardiovascular disease. See the separate lea et called Cardiovascular Disease
(Atheroma) for more details.

What tests are usually done?

It can sometimes be dif cult for doctors to distinguish between ACS and other causes of pains in
the chest. If you are suspected of having ACS then you should be referred urgently to hospital. On
admission to hospital, various tests are usually done. These are usually the same as for a suspected
heart attack.

Treatment
The treatment of ACS varies between cases. A heart attack is treated differently to unstable
angina. Treatments may vary depending on your situation.

If you have had a STEMI then you will be treated the same as those who have had a heart attack
(myocardial infarction).

Treatment of people with unstable angina or NSTEMI consists of two phases:

Relief of any pain.

Preventing progression to, or limiting the extent of, a heart attack.

Your treatment usually varies depending on your risk score. This is a risk score for a further heart
attack. Various factors are taken into account for this score, including:

Your age.

Your other risk factors for cardiovascular disease (for example, if you smoke, have raised
cholesterol or have high blood pressure or diabetes).

Your blood test results.

What your heart tracing (electrocardiogram, or ECG) looks like when you rst attend the
hospital.

Read more about after a heart attack (myocardial infarction) and also medication after a heart
attack (myocardial infarction) for more details. If the doctors think that you have a high risk of
having a heart attack, you may be given a medicine called a glycoprotein llb/lla receptor
antagonist.

F U RT H E R R E A D I N G A N D R E F E R E N C E S

Acute coronary syndrome; Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network - SIGN (2016)

2014 ESC/EACTS Guidelines on myocardial revascularization; The Task Force on Myocardial

Revascularization of the European Society of Cardiology and the European Association for Cardio-
Thoracic Surgery (Aug 2014)

Myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation: The acute management of myocardial infarction
with ST-segment elevation; NICE Clinical Guideline (July 2013)

Myocardial infarction: cardiac rehabilitation and prevention of further MI; NICE Clinical Guideline
(November 2013)

Mehta LS, Beckie TM, DeVon HA, et al; Acute Myocardial Infarction in Women: A Scienti c
Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2016 Mar 1133(9):916-47. doi:
10.1161/CIR.0000000000000351. Epub 2016 Jan 25.

2015 ESC Guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting
without persistent ST-segment elevation; European Society of Cardiology (August 2015)

Unstable angina and NSTEMI; NICE Clinical Guideline (March 2010 - last updated November
2013)

Assessing tness to drive: guide for medical professionals; Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
 Ibanez B, James S, Agewall S, et al; 2017 ESC Guidelines for the management of acute myocardial
infarction in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation: The Task Force for the management of
acute myocardial infarction in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation of the European
Society of Cardiology (ESC). Eur Heart J. 2017 Aug 26. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehx393.

Valgimigli M, Bueno H, Byrne RA, et al; 2017 ESC focused update on dual antiplatelet therapy in
coronary artery disease developed in collaboration with EACTS: The Task Force for dual
antiplatelet therapy in coronary artery disease of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and of
the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS). Eur Heart J. 2017 Aug 26. doi:
10.1093/eurheartj/ehx419.

ARTICLE INFORMATION

Last Reviewed 24 September 2017

Next Review 23 September 2020

Document ID 13357 (v5)

Author Dr Colin Tidy

Peer reviewer Dr Adrian Bonsall

The Information Standard The information on this page is written and peer
Certi ed Member reviewed by quali ed clinicians.

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