Treatment of patients with unstable angina and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Emergency department (ED) management of patients who present with suspected unstable angina (UA) and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is especially challenging. Therapies that demonstrate benefit in patients who experience proven disease may not be indicated in patients who present with suspected disease. The emergency practitioner must have a clear understanding of the benefit and harm of each therapy, allowing formulation of a simple approach to treatment selection based on disease presentation. This article reviews current literature and discusses the treatment recommendations from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) for patients who experience UA and ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).