Do you know the latest recommendations for non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and unstable angina?

With new therapies or guidelines every year, it can be hard to keep up, said Tarlan Hedayati, MD, FACEP, assistant professor of emergency medicine at Rush Medical College and associate program director in the department of emergency medicine at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago. In the Tuesday session “Therapy for Non-ST Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes: Update 2015,” Dr. Hedayati will review the most recent literature on risk stratification and treatment of NSTEMI.

One area that Dr. Hedayati will focus on is the latest non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS) guidelines from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) and from their European counterpart, the European Society of Cardiology. She will detail some of the differences between the two guidelines.

One recent update in the ACC/AHA guidelines is a change in the title of their guideline from NSTEMI to non-ST elevation ACS to reflect the spectrum of disease that ACS encompasses, Dr. Hedayati said. However, she likes to remind attendees that the guidelines are, well, guidelines and not the law.

Dr. Hedayati’s talk will also address the designated time limit of 10 minutes by which chest pain and suspected ACS patients should get an ECG. “When a patient walks through the ER doors, you don’t know if you’re dealing with GERD or a STEMI. Err on the side of caution,” she advised.

The session will discuss how often physicians should repeat an ECG and troponin in the ED.

Other areas that Dr. Hedayati will address include the use of troponin tests, risk stratification and prognostic scores, and various therapeutics available for patients having ACS and NSTEMI. “We will dig into what must absolutely be given in the ER, what can be given after admission, and the evidence supporting the decision making,” she said.

Vanessa Caceres is a freelance medical writer based in Florida.

Dr. Hedayati

Therapy for Non-ST Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes: Update 2015

Tuesday, Oct. 27
4:30–4:55 p.m.
Room 210 ABC