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Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Acute Coronary Syndrome

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Acute Coronary Syndrome

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS), one of the life-threatening manifestations of coronary artery disease, ranges from unstable angina, to acute myocardial infarction (non—ST elevation and ST elevation), to sudden cardiac death. The pathophysiology of ACS in the vast majority of cases involves coronary thrombosis overlying a disrupted atherosclerotic plaque [1]. Several autopsy studies have demonstrated that 70% to 80% of coronary thrombi occur at sites where the fi brous cap of coronary artery plaque has ruptured, with extension of the thrombus into the plaque and into the lumen, as well as with propagation of the thrombus upstream from the site of cap rupture [2, 3]. Although it would be preferable to prevent ACS rather than treat it after its occurrence, currently there is no optimal laboratory or imaging modality to predict its timing. Therefore, risk-factor modifi cation is the best approach until reliable, noninvasive tests become available.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

    Hossein Eftekhari MD, Inna Bukharovich MD & Emad Aziz DO, MB, ChB

  2. Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and Interventional Cardiology Department of Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

    Mun K. Hong MD

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  1. Hossein Eftekhari MD
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  2. Inna Bukharovich MD
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  3. Emad Aziz DO, MB, ChB
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and Interventional Cardiology, Department of Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

    Mun K. Hong MD

  2. Cardiac Care Unit, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

    Eyal Herzog MD, FACC

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Eftekhari, H., Bukharovich, I., Aziz, E., Hong, M.K. (2008). Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Acute Coronary Syndrome. In: Hong, M.K., Herzog, E. (eds) Acute Coronary Syndrome. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84628-869-2_4

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