In this second edition of his highly acclaimed book, Christopher P. Cannon, MD, and a team of preeminent clinical investigators have thoroughly revised and expanded every chapter to reflect the recent explosion of clinical trials on the management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). This includes: the newer tests, such as C reactive protein; a multimarker approach to diagnosis and risk stratification; new antiplatelet agents; and combinations of thrombolytic-antithrombotic regimens. Also discussed are the latest developments in interventional cardiology, the use of cost-effectiveness in clinical trials to choose appropriate therapies, and the employment of critical pathways analysis to improve compliance with evidence-based medicine and guideline recommendations.

I Pathophysiology.- 1 The Spectrum of Myocardial Ischemia: The Paradigm of Acute Coronary Syndromes.- 2 Linking Biochemistry, Vascular Biology, and Clinical Events in Acute Coronary Syndromes.- 3 Triggers of Acute Coronary Syndromes.- 4 Insights into the Pathophysiology of Acute Ischemia Syndromes Using the TIMI Flow Grade, TIMI Frame Count, and TIMI Myocardial Perfusion Grade.- II Diagnosis.- 5 Emergency Department Presentations of Acute Cardiac Ischemia.- 6 Early Identification and Treatment of Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes.- 7 Serum Markers for Diagnosis and Risk Stratification in Acute Coronary Syndromes.- 8 Technologies to Diagnose Acute Ischemia.- III ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.- 9 Thrombolytic Therapy.- 10 Primary Angioplasty.- 11 Expanding the Access to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Patients Admitted to Community Hospitals.- 12 Antiplatelet and Anticoagulant Therapy.- 13 ?-Adrenergic Blockers, Calcium Channel Blockers, and Nitrates.- 14 Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors After and During Acute Coronary Syndromes, and, in Particular, Myocardial Infarction.- 15 Risk Stratification: Exercise Testing, Imaging, and Cardiac Catheterization.- IV Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.- 16 Anticoagulant Therapies.- 17 Antiplatelet Therapy.- 18 Thrombolytics and Invasive vs Conservative Strategies in Unstable Angina.- 19 Current Device Strategies in the Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes.- V Special Aspects of Acute Coronary Syndromes.- 20 Women and Acute Coronary Syndromes.- 21 The Modern Strategy for Cardiogenic Shock.- 22 Myocardial Infarction in the Younger Patient.- 23 Cholesterol Lowering.- 24 "Secondary Prevention" of Myocardial Infarction.- 25 Cost and Cost-Effectiveness in Acute Coronary Syndromes.- 26Smoking Cessation.- 27 Critical Pathways for Acute Coronary Syndromes.