ABBR: ACS

Any circumstance that suddenly impairs blood flow through the coronary arteries. Acute coronary syndrome includes all forms of acute myocardial infarction, i.e., those that cause Q waves on the electrocardiogram and those that do not, as well as those that cause S-T segment elevation and those that do not, and unstable angina pectoris.

Patient Care: On admission the focus of immediate care is stabilizing the patient’s condition, relieving pain caused by ischemia, and administering all medications as prescribed, including thrombolytic therapy when indicated. In the first 48 hours monitoring and treating arrhythmias, and identifying and correcting exacerbating factors such as electrolyte imbalances, hypoxemia, acidosis or drugs are priorities in care.