Introduction

A
cute Coronary Syndromes comprise a spectrum of increasingly severe ischemic conditions,
including unstable angina, non ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)and ST-elevation
myocardial infarction (STEMI).
In the Gulf, STEMI represents 49% of Acute Coronary Syndromes. The majority of patients are males
(85%), who on average are younger than females (58 years vs 62 years). According to the current
practice, 75% of the patients receive thrombolytic therapy, while primary PTCA is performed in 5% of
patients only. 54% of these patients are diabetics; 38% are hypertensives; 25% are smokers and 30%
have hyperlipidemia.
Over the past few years, considerable improvement has occurred in the care for patients with
STEMI. Newer and more sensitive and specific biochemical markers for the diagnosis of AMI were
introduced which promoted the American College of Cardiology,American Heart Association and the
European Society of Cardiology to redefine MI in 2002. Furthermore, newer therapeutic modalities
including newer fibrinolytic, antithrombic and antiplatetelet agents were introduced. The Gulf Heart
Association has recently published guidelines for the management of patients with acute coronary
syndrome without STEMI elevation; Here in the GHA working group for the study of STEMI publishes
guidelines for the management of STEMI adopted from the recently updated ACC/AHA guidelines,
modified on the basis of more recent data and tailored to the need of our patients.
These guidelines refer to the management of patients with STEMI. The guidelines should be used
as Guidelines, which will apply to the majority of cases.
However it should be appreciated, that specific findings in individual patients may and should result
in deviation from the proposed strategy. for every patient, the physician should make an individual
decision taking into account the patient s history, presentation, findings during observation or
investigation in hospital, and the available treatment facilities.
Fig 1: Myocardial Infarction
ST depression, T-inversion, or Normal
Presentation
Ischemic Discomfort
UA
Non-STEMI
Acute Coronary Syndrome
W orking
No-ST-Elevation*
ST-Elevation
ECG
Cardiac
Biomarke
Final
NQMI
QwMI
Unstable
Angina
Myocardial Infarction
Guidelines on Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Patients Presenting with Persistent ST-Segment Elevation
Initial Recognition and Management in the Emergency Department
Emergency Department Algorithm/For Patients With ACS/For Patients With Symptoms and Signs of
STEMI
Onset of A.C.S.
symptoms
ED triage patient
n Patients with chest pain need prompt evaluvation
n 12-led ECG* (within 10 minutes of arrival in ED and reviewed immediately by MD)
n Repeat ECG in 5-10 min in case of patient chest pain and non diagnostic ECG
n Brief,targeted history & Physical examination
Assess:
n Time since onset of symptoms
n Risk of STEMI
n Risk of Fibernolysis
n Time required for transport to a skilled PCI
center
Select and Implement Reperfusion
Therapy
Administor Other Medical Therapy

n Morphin
n Asprin
n UFH, LMWH (Enoxaparin)
n Nitrates (as needed for chest pain or discomfort)*
n Beta-blockers
Refer to GHA NSTEMI Guidelines
n Cardiac monitor
n Lab Evaluation
n Oxygen therapy
n Blood studies
n IV D
5
W
n Nitroglycerin*
n Clopidogrel 300mg
n Aspirin 150-300 mg chewable
Initial Emergency Treatment
STEMI
patient
Yes
No
* 2mm ST elevation in chest leads or 1mm ST elevation in limb
leads (to contiguous leads)
* Do not give if systolic blood pressure is less than 90mm Hg
or less than 30mm Hg below baseline, heart rate is less than
50 bpm or right ventricular infarction is suspected.
STEMI = ST-elevation myocardial infarction; ED = emergency
department; IV = intravenous; D
5
W = 5% dextrose in water;
bpm = beats per minute
1. Airway, Breathing, Circulation (ABC)
2. Vital signs, general observation
3. Presence or absence of jugular venous
distension
4. Pulmonary auscultation for rales
5. Cardiac auscultation for murmurs and gallops
6. Presence or absence of stroke
7. Presence or absence of pulses
8. Presence or absence of systemic
hypoperfusion (cool, clammy,pale, ashen)
Brief Physical Examination in Emergency Department
Guidelines on Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Patients Presenting with Persistent ST-Segment Elevation
Assessment of Reperfusion Options for Patients With STEMI
Step 1: Assess Time and Risk
n Time since onset of symptoms
n Risk of STEMI
n Risk of fibrinolysis
n Time required for transport to a skilled PCI laboratory
Step 2: Determine Whether Fibrinolysis or an Invasive Strategy Is Preferred
If presentation is less than 3 hours and there is no delay to an invasive strategy, there is no
preference for either strategy
Fibrinolysis is generally preferred if:
An invasive strategy is generally preferred if:
n Early Presentation (less than or
n Skilled PCI laboratory available with
equal to 3 hours from symptom onset)
surgical backup
and delay to invasive strategy

Medical contact-to-balloon or
door-to-balloon is less than 90 minutes
n Invasive strategy is not an option
n High risk from STEMI


Catheterization laboratory occupied/

Cardiogenic shock
not available

Killip class is greater than or equal to 3

Vascular access difficulties

Lack of access to a skilled PCI laboratory

n
Delay to invasive strategy
n
Contradictions to fibrinolysis,

Prolonged transport
including increased risk of bleeding

Medical contact-to-balloon or
an intracranial hemorrhage
door-to-balloon time is more than 90 minutes
n
Late Presentation

The symptom onset was more than

3 hours ago
STEMI = ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction; PCI = Percutanious Coronary Intervention
Life-threatening
Aortic dissection
Tension Pneumothorax
Pulmonary embolus
Boerhaave syndrome
Perforating ulcer
(esophageal rupture with mediastinitis)
Other cardiovascular and non-ischemi
Pericarditis
LV hypertrophy with strain
Atypical angina
Brugada syndrome
Early repolarization
Myocarditis
W olff-Parkinson-White syndrome
Hyperkalemia
Deeply inverted T-waves
Bundle-branch blocks
suggestive of a central nervous
Vasospastic angina
system lesion or apica
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Other noncardiac
Gastroesophageal reflux
Biliary or pancreatic pain
(GERD) and spasm Chest-wall
Cervical disc or neuropathic pain
pain
Somatization and psychogenic pain disorder
Pleurisy
Peptic ulcer disease
Panic attack
Laboratory Evaluations for Management of STEMI
Serum biomarkers for cardiac damage
(do not wait for results before implementing reperfusion strategy)
Complete blood count with platelet count
INR (international normalized ratio)

Activated partial thromboplastin time

Electrolytes and magnesium
BUN (blood urea nitrogen)
Creatinine
Glucose
Serum lipids
Biochemical Markers
Marker
Point-of-Care
Advantages
Disadvantages
Test Available
Cardiac
Yes
1. Greater sensitivity and
1. Low sensitivity in very early phase of MI
troponins
specificity than CK-MB
(<6 h after symptom onset)
2. Detection of recent MI
up to 2 weeks after onset
2. Limited ability to detect late minor
reinfarction.
CK-MB
Yes
1. Rapid, cost-efficient,
1. Loss of specificity in setting of skeletal
accurate assays
muscle disease or injury, including surgery
2. Ability to detect early
2. Low sensitivity during very early MI
reinfarction
(<6 h after symptom onset) or later after
symptom onset (<36 h)and for minor
myocardial damage (detectable by troponins)
Myoglobin
Yes
1. High sensitivity
1. Very low specificity in setting of skeletal
2. Useful in early detection of MI
muscle injury or disease
3. Detection of reperfusion
2. Rapid return to normal range limits sensitivity
4. Most useful in ruling out MI
for later presentations
Page 6
Guidelines on Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Patients Presenting with Persistent ST-Segment Elevation
Acute CCU Management
Sample Admitting Orders for Patients With STEMI
1. IV:NS on D
5
W to keep vein open. Start a second IV if IV medication is being given. This may be
a saline lock.
2. Vital signs: Every 1.5 hours until stable, then every 4 hours and as needed. Notify physician if
HR is less than 60 bpm or greater than 100 bpm, BP is less than 100 mm Hg systolic or greater than
150 mm Hg diastolic, respiratory rate is less than 8 or greater than 22 bpm.
3. Monitor: Continuous ECG monitoring for arrhythmia and ST-segment deviation.
4. Diet: NPO except for sips of water until stable. Then start diet with 2 g of sodium per day, low
saturated fat (less than 7% of total calories/day), low cholesterol (less than 200 mg/day), such as Total
Lifestyle Change (TLC) diet.
5. Activity: Bedside commode and light activity when stable.
6. Oxygen: Continuous oximetry monitoring. Nasal cannula at 2 L/min when stable for 6 hours,
reassess for oxygen need (i.e., O2saturation less than 90%), and consider discontinuing oxygen.
7. Medications:
a. Nitroglycerin