title: Appropriate antiplatelet and antithrombotic therapy in patients with acute coronary syndromes: recent updates to the ACC/AHA guidelines.
abstract: Thrombosis is the most important pathological mechanism of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). In addition to standard antithrombotic treatment with aspirin and heparin, clopidogrel, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, and low-molecular-weight have a therapeutic benefit in ACS patients. Updated American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for the management of ACS patients were published in mid-2002, and this article summarizes the rationale for the recommendations outlined in these guidelines for the use of antithrombotic and antiplatelet therapies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine and the Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. smehta@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Shamir R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Mehta
mesh_terms: D000077284:Abciximab; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015996:Survival Rate; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D006493:Heparin; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D013988:Ticlopidine; D001241:Aspirin; D000077284:Abciximab