What is acute Coronary Syndrome

Heart Attack: or ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME ACS
An acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a set of signs and symptoms usually a combination of chest pain and other features like sweating vomiting, interpreted as being the result of abruptly decreased blood flow to the heart muscles(cardiac ischemia); the most common cause for ACS is of atherosclerotic plaque in any of coronary arteries.

Acute Coronary Syndrome is a name given to three types of coronary artery diseases that are associated with sudden rupture of plaque inside the coronary artery: Unstable angina, Non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction or heart attack (NSTEMI), or ST segment elevation myocardial infarction or heart attack (STEMI).

The location of the blockage, the length of time that blood flow is blocked and the amount of damage that occurs determines the type of acute coronary syndrome. These life-threatening conditions most often require emergency medical care.

Unstable angina is a new symptom or a change from stable angina. The angina may occur more frequently, occur more easily at rest, feel more severe, or last longer. Although this angina can often be relieved with oral medications, it is unstable and if not treated timely may progress to a heart attack. Usually more intense medical treatment or a procedure is required. Unstable angina is an acute coronary syndrome and should be treated as a medical emergency.

Heart attack:  Non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI): This heart attack, or MI, does not cause changes on an electrocardiogram (ECG). However, chemical markers like Cardiac Troponin in the blood indicate that damage has occurred to the heart muscle. In NSTEMI, the blockage may be partial or temporary, and so the extent of the damage relatively minimal.

Heart attack: ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI): This heart attack, or MI, is caused by a prolonged period of blocked blood supply. It affects a large area of the heart muscle, and so causes changes on the ECG as well as in blood levels of key chemical markers. ST segment will elevate in chest leads or arm leads of ECG depending upon location of heart muscle damage.

Stunned myocardium: If blood flow is returned to an area of heart muscle after a period of ischemia (lack of blood supply), the heart muscle may not pump normally for a period of days following the event. This is called "stunned" heart muscle or myocardium.

Hibernating myocardium: After a heart attack, some areas of heart muscle do not pump as they should. Some areas will have permanent damage. Other areas are able to return to their normal function if blood flow is returned to that area (by medications or a procedure). Hibernating myocardium is heart muscle that is "resting" and may possibly return to normal function.

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