Assessment and management of acute coronary syndrome

Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains the single most common cause of death in the UK, causing 22% of premature deaths in men and 12% of premature deaths in women. There has been a recent reduction in CHD death rates, and this is due in no small part to the decline in major risk factors (predominantly smoking cessation); the remainder is due to individual treatments and secondary prevention. This contribution will explore the treatment of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). A significant improvement in survival can be made by prompt diagnosis and appropriate initiation of therapy.