Non ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome.

INTRODUCTION

Non ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS, here defined as unstable angina and non ST-elevation MI) is characterised by episodes of chest pain at rest or with minimal exertion, which increase in frequency or severity, often with dynamic ECG changes. Between 9% and 19% of people with NSTE-ACS die in the first 6 months after diagnosis, with about half of these deaths occurring within 4 weeks of diagnosis.

METHODS AND OUTCOMES

We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of: antiplatelet; antithrombin; anti-ischaemic; lipid-lowering; and invasive treatments? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to December 2009 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

RESULTS

We found 32 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: aspirin, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, clopidogrel, direct thrombin inhibitors, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (oral or intravenous), heparin (low molecular weight, unfractionated), fondaparinux, nitrates, routine early cardiac catheterisation and revascularisation, statins, and warfarin.