Acute coronary syndromes

Context

Acute coronary syndromes due to ischaemic heart disease remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. In 2015, heart disease remained the leading cause of death in men and the second most common cause of death in women in England. In 2015/16, more than 58,000 people were admitted to hospital in England with a heart attack. Although many more people now survive than in the past, there remains considerable scope to reduce their future risk of death, angina, heart failure and further heart attack.

National audits continue to show variation in practice across the UK in the treatments offered for acute coronary syndromes. This, combined with evidence of novel ways of treating acute coronary syndromes and updates to existing treatments, indicates a need for an updated guideline that will help deliver best practice to the large number of people receiving treatment for acute coronary syndromes in the NHS.