ESC Guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting without persistent ST-segment elevation : The Task Force for the management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in patients presenting without persistent ST-segment elevation of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

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2015 ESC Guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting without persistent ST-segment elevation: Task Force for the Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Patients Presenting without Persistent ST-Segment Elevation of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)

The American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) Task Force on Practice Guidelines was formed to make recommendations regarding the diagnosis and treatment of patients with known or suspected cardiovascular disease. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Unstable angina (UA) and the closely related condition non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) are very common manifestations of this disease. These life-threatening disorders are a major cause of emergency medical care and hospitalizations in the United States. In 1996, the National Center for Health Statistics reported 1 433 000 hospitalizations for UA or NSTEMI. In recognition of the importance of the management of this common entity and of the rapid advances in the management of this condition, the need to revise guidelines published by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in 1994 was evident. This Task Force therefore formed the current committee to develop guidelines for the management of UA and NSTEMI. The present guidelines supersede the 1994 guidelines.

The customary ACC/AHA classifications I, II, and III summarize both the evidence and expert opinion and provide final recommendations for both patient evaluation and therapy:

Class I: Conditions for which there is evidence and/or general agreement that a given procedure or treatment is useful and effective .

Class II: Conditions for which there is conflicting evidence and/or a divergence of opinion about the usefulness/efficacy of a procedure or treatment. 

Class IIa: Weight of evidence/opinion is in favor of usefulness/efficacy. 

Class IIb: Usefulness/efficacy is less well established by evidence/opinion. 

Class III: Conditions for which there is evidence and/or general agreement that the procedure/treatment is not useful/effective and in some cases may be harmful. 

The weight of the evidence was ranked highest (A) if the data …

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ACC/AHA guidelines for the management of patients with unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: Executive summary and recommendations: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association task force on practice guidelines (committee on the management of patients with unstable angina)

ABOARD
: Angioplasty to Blunt the Rise of Troponin in Acute Coronary Syndromes Randomized for an Immediate or Delayed Intervention
ACC
: American College of Cardiology
ACE
: angiotensin-converting enzyme
ACS
: acute coronary syndromes
ACT
: activated clotting time
ACUITY
: Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage strategY
AF
: atrial fibrillation
AHA
: American Heart Association
APPRAISE
: Apixaban for Prevention of Acute Ischemic Events
aPTT
: activated partial thromboplastin time
ARB
: angiotensin receptor blocker
ARC
: Academic Research Consortium
ATLAS
: Anti-Xa Therapy to Lower Cardiovascular Events in Addition to Aspirin With or Without Thienopyridine Therapy in Subjects with Acute Coronary Syndrome
BARI-2D
: Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes
BMS
: bare-metal stent
BNP
: brain natriuretic peptide
CABG
: coronary bypass graft
CAD
: coronary artery disease
CI
: confidence interval
CK
: creatinine kinase
CKD
: chronic kidney disease
CK-MB
: creatinine kinase myocardial band
COX
: cyclo-oxygenase
CMR
: cardiac magnetic resonance
COMMIT
: Clopidogrel and Metoprolol in Myocardial Infarction Trial
CPG
: Committee for Practice Guidelines
CrCl
: creatinine clearance
CRP
: C-reactive protein
CRUSADE
: Can Rapid risk stratification of Unstable angina patients Suppress ADverse outcomes with Early implementation of the ACC/AHA guidelines
CT
: computed tomography
CURE
: Clopidogrel in Unstable Angina to Prevent Recurrent Events
CURRENT
: Clopidogrel Optimal Loading Dose Usage to Reduce Recurrent Events
CYP
: cytochrome P450
DAPT
: dual (oral) antiplatelet therapy
DAVIT
: Danish Study Group on Verapamil in Myocardial Infarction Trial
DES
: drug-eluting stent
DTI
: direct thrombin inhibitor
DIGAMI
: Diabetes, Insulin Glucose Infusion in Acute Myocardial Infarction
EARLY-ACS
: Early Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibition in Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome
ECG
: electrocardiogram
eGFR
: estimated glomerular filtration rate
ELISA
: Early or Late Intervention in unStable Angina
ESC
: European Society of Cardiology
Factor Xa
: activated factor X
FFR
: fractional flow reserve
FRISC
: Fragmin during Instability in Coronary Artery Disease
GP IIb/IIIa
: glycoprotein IIb/IIIa
GRACE
: Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events
HINT
: Holland Interuniversity Nifedipine/Metoprolol Trial
HIT
: heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
HORIZONS
: Harmonizing Outcomes with RevasculariZatiON and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction
HR
: hazard ratio
hsCRP
: high-sensitivity C-reactive protein
ICTUS
: Invasive vs. Conservative Treatment in Unstable coronary Syndromes
INR
: international normalized ratio
INTERACT
: Integrilin and Enoxaparin Randomized Assessment of Acute Coronary Syndrome Treatment
ISAR-COOL
: Intracoronary Stenting With Antithrombotic Regimen Cooling Off
ISAR-REACT
: Intracoronary stenting and Antithrombotic Regimen- Rapid Early Action for Coronary Treatment
i.v.
: intravenous
LDL-C
: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
LMWH
: low molecular weight heparin
LV
: left ventricular
LVEF
: left ventricular ejection fraction
MB
: myocardial band
MDRD
: Modification of Diet in Renal Disease
MERLIN
: Metabolic Efficiency With Ranolazine for Less Ischemia in Non-ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes
MI
: myocardial infarction
MINAP
: Myocardial Infarction National Audit Project
MRI
: magnetic resonance imaging
NNT
: numbers needed to treat
NSAID
: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
NSTE-ACS
: non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes
NSTEMI
: non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction
NT-proBNP
: N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide
OASIS
: Organization to Assess Strategies for Ischaemic Syndromes
OPTIMA
: Optimal Timing of PCI in Unstable Angina
OR
: odds ratio
PCI
: percutaneous coronary intervention
PENTUA
: Pentasaccharide in Unstable Angina
PLATO
: PLATelet inhibition and patient Outcomes
PURSUIT
: Platelet Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa in Unstable Angina: Receptor Suppression Using Integrilin Therapy
RCT
: randomized controlled trial
RE-DEEM
: Randomized Dabigatran Etexilate Dose Finding Study In Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS) Post Index Event With Additional Risk Factors For Cardiovascular Complications Also Receiving Aspirin And Clopidogrel
REPLACE-2
: Randomized Evaluation of PCI Linking Angiomax to reduced Clinical Events
RIKS-HIA
: Register of Information and Knowledge about Swedish Heart Intensive care Admissions
RITA
: Research Group in Instability in Coronary Artery Disease trial
RR
: relative risk
RRR
: relative risk reduction
STE-ACS
: ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome
STEMI
: ST-elevation myocardial infarction
SYNERGY
: Superior Yield of the New Strategy of Enoxaparin, Revascularization and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors trial
SYNTAX
: SYNergy between percutaneous coronary intervention with TAXus and cardiac surgery
TACTICS
: Treat angina with Aggrastat and determine Cost of Therapy with an Invasive or Conservative Strategy
TARGET
: Do Tirofiban and ReoPro Give Similar Efficacy Outcomes Trial
TIMACS
: Timing of Intervention in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes
TIMI
: Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction
TRITON
: TRial to Assess Improvement in Therapeutic Outcomes by Optimizing Platelet InhibitioN with Prasugrel–Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction
UFH
: unfractionated heparin
VKA
: vitamin K antagonist
VTE
: venous thrombo-embolism

Guidelines summarize and evaluate all available evidence, at the time of the writing process, on a particular issue with the aim of assisting physicians in selecting the best management strategies for an individual patient, with a given condition, taking into account the impact on outcome, as well as the risk–benefit ratio of particular diagnostic or therapeutic means. Guidelines are no substitutes but are complements for textbooks and cover the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Core Curriculum topics. Guidelines and recommendations should help the physicians to make decisions in their daily practice. However, the final decisions concerning an individual patient must be made by the responsible physician(s).

A great number of Guidelines have been issued in recent years by the ESC as well as by other societies and organizations. Because of the impact on clinical practice, quality criteria for the development of guidelines have been established in order to make all decisions transparent to the user. The recommendations for formulating and issuing ESC Guidelines can be found on the ESC website (http://www.escardio.org/guidelines-surveys/esc-guidelines/about/Pages/rules-writing.aspx). ESC Guidelines represent the official position of the ESC on a given topic and are regularly updated.

Members of this Task Force were selected by the ESC to represent professionals involved with the medical care of patients with this pathology. Selected experts in the field undertook a comprehensive review of the published evidence for diagnosis, management, and/or prevention of a given condition according to ESC Committee for Practice Guidelines (CPG) policy. A critical evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures was performed including assessment of the risk–benefit ratio. Estimates of expected health outcomes for larger populations were included, where data exist. The level of evidence and the strength of recommendation of particular treatment options were weighed and graded according to pre-defined scales, as outlined in Tables 1 and 2 . …

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ESC Guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting without persistent ST-segment elevation

Abstract Objective: To determine the effects of “prolonged” antiplatelet therapy (that is, given for one month or more) on “vascular events” (non-fatal myocardial infarctions, non-fatal strokes, or vascular deaths) in various categories of patients. Design: Overviews of 145 randomised trials of “prolonged” antiplatelet therapy versus control and 29 randomised comparisons between such antiplatelet regimens. Setting: Randomised trials that could have been available by March 1990. Subjects: Trials of antiplatelet therapy versus control included about 70 000 “high risk” patients (that is, with some vascular disease or other condition implying an increased risk of occlusive vascular disease) and 30 000 “low risk” subjects from the general population. Direct comparisons of different antiplatelet regimens involved about 10 000 high risk patients. Results: In each of four main high risk categories of patients antiplatelet therapy was definitely protective. The percentages of patients suffering a vascular event among those allocated antiplatelet therapy versus appropriately adjusted control percentages (and mean scheduled treatment durations and net absolute benefits) were: (a) among about 20 000 patients with acute myocardial infarction, 10% antiplatelet therapy v 14% control (one month benefit about 40 vascular events avoided per 1000 patients treated (2P< 0.00001)); (b) among about 20 000 patients with a past history of myocardial infarction, 13% antiplatelet therapy v 17% control (two year benefit about 40/1000 (2P<0.00001)); (c) among about 10 000 patients with a past history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack, 18% antiplatelet therapy v 22% control (three year benefit about 40/1000 (2P<0.00001)); (d) among about 20 000 patients with some other relevant medical history (unstable angina, stable angina, vascular surgery, angioplasty, atrial fibrillation, valvular disease, peripheral vascular disease, etc), 9% v 14% in 4000 patients with unstable angina (six month benefit about 50/1000 (2P<0.00001)) and 6% v 8% in 16 000 other high risk patients (one year benefit about 20/1000 (2P<0.00001)). Reductions in vascular events were about one quarter in each of these four main categories and were separately statistically significant in middle age and old age, in men and women, in hypertensive and normotensive patients, and in diabetic and non: diabetic patients. Taking all high risk patients together showed reductions of about one third in non-fatal myocardial infarction, about one third in non-fatal stroke, and about one sixth in vascular death (each 2P<0.00001). There was no evidence that non-vascular deaths were increased, so in each of the four main high risk categories overall mortality was significantly reduced. The most widely tested antiplatelet regimen was “medium dose” (75-325 mg/day) aspirin. Doses throughout this range seemed similarly effective (although in an acute emergency it might be prudent to use an initial dose of 160-325 mg rather than about 75 mg). There was no appreciable evidence that either a higher aspirin dose or any other antiplatelet regimen was more effective than medium dose aspirin in preventing vascular events. The optimal duration of treatment for patients with a past history of myocardial infarction, stroke, or transient ischaemic attack could not be determined directly because most trials lasted only one, two, or three years (average about two years). Nevertheless, there was significant (2P<0.00001) further benefit between the end of year 1 and the end of year 3, suggesting that longer treatment might well be more effective. Among low risk recipients of “primary prevention” a significant reduction of one third in non: fatal myocardial infarction was, however, accompanied by a non-significant increase in stroke. Furthermore, the absolute reduction in vascular events was much smaller than for high risk patients despite a much longer treatment period (4.4% antiplatelet therapy v 4.8% control; five year benefit only about four per 1000 patients treated) and was not significant (2P=0.09). Conclusions: Among a much wider range of patients at high risk of occlusive vascular disease than is currently treated routinely, some years of antiplatelet therapy - with aspirin 75-325 mg/day or some other antiplatelet regimen (provided there are no contraindications) - offers worthwhile protection against myocardial infarction, stroke, and death. Significant benefit is evident not only among patients with unstable angina, suspected acute myocardial infarction, or a past history of myocardial infarction, stroke, or transient ischaemic attack, but also among many other categories of high risk patients (such as those having vascular procedures and those with stable angina or peripheral vascular disease). There is as yet, however, no clear evidence on the balance of risks and benefits of antiplatelet therapy in primary prevention among low risk subjects.

Collaborative overview of randomized trials of antiplatelet therapy .1. prevention of death, myocardial-infarction, and stroke by prolonged antiplatelet therapy in various categories of patients

2014 AHA/ACC Guideline for the Management of Patients With Non–ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines

We tested the usefulness of aspirin (325 mg twice daily), heparin (1000 units per hour by intravenous infusion), and a combination of the two in the early management of acute unstable angina pectoris in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 479 patients. The patients entered the study as soon as possible after hospital admission (at a mean [+/- SD] of 7.9 +/- 8.0 hours after the last episode of pain), and the study was ended after 6 +/- 3 days, when definitive therapy had been selected. Major end points--refractory angina, myocardial infarction, and death--occurred in 23, 12, and 1.7 percent of the 118 patients receiving placebo, respectively. Heparin was associated with a decrease in the occurrence of refractory angina (P = 0.002). The incidence of myocardial infarction was significantly reduced in the groups receiving aspirin (3 percent; P = 0.01), heparin (0.8 percent; P less than 0.001), and aspirin plus heparin (1.6 percent, P = 0.003), and no deaths occurred in these groups. There were too few deaths overall to permit evaluation of the effect of treatment on this end point. The combination of aspirin and heparin had no greater protective effect than heparin alone but was associated with slightly more serious bleeding (3.3 vs. 1.7 percent). We conclude that in the acute phase of unstable angina, either aspirin or heparin treatment is associated with a reduced incidence of myocardial infarction, and there is a trend favoring heparin over aspirin. Heparin treatment is also associated with a reduced incidence of refractory angina.

J.-G. Latour

Papers

Aspirin, Heparin, or Both to Treat Acute Unstable Angina

Aspirin, heparin, or both to treat acute unstable angina