Acute coronary syndromes: mechanisms, challenges, and new opportunities

Despite advances in research and patient management, atherosclerosis and its dreaded acute and chronic sequelae continue to account for one out of three deaths globally. The vast majority of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) arise from either plaque rupture or erosion, but other mechanisms, including calcific nodules, embolism, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, coronary spasm, and microvascular dysfunction, can also cause ACS. This ACS heterogeneity necessitates a paradigm shift in its management that extends beyond the binary interpretation of electrocardiographic and biomarker data. Indeed, given the evolution in the global risk factor profile, the increasing importance of previously underappreciated…

• SH
  Schweizerische Herzstiftung
• NS
  Novartis Stiftung für Medizinisch-Biologische Forschung
• UZ
  Universität Zürich