Prospective Registry of Outcomes and Management of Acute Ischaemic Syndromes

This is a multi-centre UK study designed to evaluate if an educational intervention programme delivered to health care professionals can improve the use of evidence based treatments in the management of patients admitted to hospital with non-ST elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome. A total of 38 centres participated. A cluster randomised method was used and half of centres received the educational intervention. Patients were followed to hospital discharge. Patients were followed up at 6 months and longer term follow up for mortality will be performed through the national databases.

Inclusion criteria

All patients admitted to the hospital (either through casualty or directly to the wards), with a good clinical history of an acute coronary syndrome with one or more of the following:

• Ischaemic changes on the admission ECG (including patients with bundle branch block)
• Elevated Troponin or cardiac enzymes on admission
• Normal ECGs but with evidence of pre-existing coronary artery disease i.e., evidence of a prior history of MI, coronary revascularisation, coronary angiography demonstrating the presence of significant coronary stenosis or a stress test demonstrating ischaemia (treadmill, echo or nuclear scan)

Written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with persistent ST elevation >1mm in two or more contiguous leads on the ECG.
• Patients treated with thrombolytic therapy, or for whom thrombolytic therapy was considered on admission.