Current therapy of non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes.

A cute coronary syndromes (ACS) include unstable angina (UA), non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and ST-elevation MI (STEMI). Each year in the US, approximately 1,360,000 patients are admitted for ACS, of which 810,000 have an MI and the remainder UA. Approximately two thirds of patients with MI have NSTEMI and the rest have STEMI. Worldwide, more than 3 million people each year are estimated to have a STEMI and more than 4 million have an NSTEMI. Hospital mortality is higher in patients with STEMI but the longterm mortality is higher in patients with non-STE ACS. Thus, optimal management of NSTEMI-ACS is important in this clinical setting. This review reflects recent evidence in the context of the relevant guidelines of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).