Medical therapy in acute coronary syndromes: which medicines and at what doses?
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) occurs when plaque rupture in a coronary artery is superimposed with thrombus formation. This accounts for 1.7 million hospital admissions in the United States annually and significant morbidity and mortality. Although there are advantages to an invasive approach to treating patients with ACS, the role of medical therapy is vital as an adjunctive treatment to reperfusion therapies and in stabilizing ruptured plaques and modifying the metabolic milieu that predisposes to plaque formation and rupture. This article reviews the most important drug classes for medical treatment of ACS patients, as well as optimal doses. This is an exciting time to be involved in the field of cardiovascular medicine, as we continue to see profound improvement from medical therapy in the morbidity and mortality associated with ACS.
Kireyev
Dmitriy
D
Division of Cardiology, Buffalo General Hospital, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.
Yun
Edward C
EC
Page
Brian J
BJ
Boden
William E
WE
D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000809:Angiotensins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D009566:Nitrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015607:Stents
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000809:Angiotensins; D000925:Anticoagulants; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D009566:Nitrates; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D001241:Aspirin