Acute Coronary Syndromes

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is most commonly caused by a heart attack (myocardial infarction) where blood flow to the heart is suddenly blocked. This is usually caused by a blood clot from a ruptured coronary artery atherosclerotic plaque. Other causes include spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), which most commonly occurs in women. ACS is usually treated in a cath lab with angioplasty and the placement of a stent to prop the vessel open.

Man Heart Attack

The best diet after a heart attack

The authors explored data from more than 800 patients with coronary heart disease, sharing their findings in Plos Medicine.

December 7, 2020
Erin D. Michos, MD, associate director of preventive cardiology, division of cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and co-editor in chief of the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology, discusses gender differences in heart disease presentations. Woman Heart Attack

Women face a higher risk of heart failure, death after their first severe heart attack

Women were also seen less regularly by a cardiovascular specialist.

December 4, 2020

New technique could reduce heart attack-induced heart failure

“The clinical implications of this discovery are significant,” one researcher said. 

November 24, 2020

Marijuana use linked to worse outcomes for PCI, heart attack patients

PCI patients who used marijuana had an increased risk of bleeding events and stroke following the procedure.

November 9, 2020

A paradox at work: Obese patients experience best ACS outcomes

Underweight patients, meanwhile, had the highest mortality rates following hospitalization for ACS. 

October 20, 2020

Why metoprolol should be the beta-blocker of choice for heart attack patients

While metoprolol was linked with limiting infarct size, two other beta-blockers—atenolol and propranolol—were not associated with such improvements.

October 9, 2020

Women receive less aggressive care, and are more likely to die, after heart attack-related cardiogenic shock

Overall, researchers found, women were less likely to undergo coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention and mechanical circulatory support than men.

September 29, 2020
love romance couple sunset

A return to normalcy: Resuming sexual activity soon after a heart attack boosts survival

The study tracked nearly 500 patients for more than two decades. 

September 23, 2020

Around the web

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.

Kate Hanneman, MD, explains why many vendors and hospitals want to lower radiology's impact on the environment. "Taking steps to reduce the carbon footprint in healthcare isn’t just an opportunity," she said. "It’s also a responsibility."

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