title: Risk stratification in non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndromes with special focus on recent guidelines.
abstract: Patients with unstable angina or non-ST segment elevation (non-Q-wave) myocardial infarction are a heterogeneous group with respect to their risk of developing clinically significant adverse events such as subsequent myocardial infarction and death. Recent guidelines promote risk stratification of these patients, targeting high-risk patients for maximal antithrombotic and antiischemic therapy and low-risk patients for early discharge. We reviewed current and future modalities for risk stratification of patients and the predictive value of these methods in context with available pharmacologic agents. Unfortunately, most of the data identifying a particular pharmacologic regimen as beneficial in high-risk patients are retrospectively derived from large trials. Until prospective studies that use markers to guide therapy are available, clinicians should be familiar with the use of these risk markers and their application to the role of a given management strategy, including pharmacologic therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administration, College of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, USA. smathis@sbhcs.com
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Mathis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meswani
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Spinler
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000379:methods; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014336:Troponin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014336:Troponin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D003402:Creatine Kinase