Portuguese Registry on Acute Coronary Syndromes

Cardiovascular diseases remain the principal causes of death in Portugal and approximately one quarter of these are directly to ischemic heart disease, especially Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS).

In order to reduce mortality for ACS, a significant number of new drugs and new techniques have been introduced into clinical practice, resulting in important heterogeneity of approach and treatment of patients with ACS.

The Portuguese Society of Cardiology have sought to review and incorporate in its recommendations the evidence to date, with the aim to standardize diagnosis and treatment of patients with ACS, which is not always able to in daily practice.

Since it is essential to characterize the national reality of the ACS, the Portuguese Society of Cardiology has promoted the Portuguese registry on Acute Coronary Syndromes, aimed at bridging the knowledge gaps in this area of cardiovascular disease.

This will include all adult patients (≥ 18 years) diagnosed with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) with <48 hours of evolution. The inclusion is of responsibility of the last service of Cardiology where the patient was hospitalized. The ACS is set to the presence of angina at rest last 48 hours, with 1) ischemic electrocardiographic changes ST-segment deviations or negative T waves, and / or 2) elevation of biomarker (cardiac troponin and CK-MB) above the reference value. For diagnosis ACS with ST elevation is considered to be persistently elevated (> 30 minutes) of the ST segment. The rest should be considered as ACS ST-segment elevation. In the absence of angina, the SCA will be considered consistent elevation (curve ascending / descending) biomarker (above reference value for cardiac troponin or higher 2 times the value of reference to the CK-MB) associated with other clinical manifestations such as ill-defined chest discomfort or dyspnea.