Updates and Current Recommendations for the Management of Patients With Non–ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes: What It Means for Clinical Practice

The American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) have recently updated their joint guidelines for the management of patients with non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS, including unstable angina [UA] and non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction [NSTEMI]). These guidelines replace the 2007 guidelines and the focused updates from 2011 and 2012 and now combine UA and NSTEMI into a new classification, NSTE-ACS, and updating the terminology around noninvasive management to ischemia-guided strategy. The latest guidelines include updated recommendations for the use of the oral antiplatelet agents (P2Y12 inhibitors) prasugrel and ticagrelor as part of dual-antiplatelet therapy—the cornerstone of treatment for these patients. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the new and modified recommendations for the management of patients with NSTE-ACS and the evidence supporting them. Also, where appropriate, similarities and differences between the current recommendations of the AHA/ACC and those of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) are highlighted. For example, the AHA/ACC recommends the P2Y12 inhibitor ticagrelor over clopidogrel in all patients with NSTE-ACS and clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor for patients in whom percutaneous coronary intervention is planned, whereas the ESC guidelines specifically recommend individual P2Y12 inhibitors for particular patient subgroups.