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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffAcute coronary syndrome is most often a complication of plaque buildup in the arteries in your heart (coronary atherosclerosis) These plaques, made up of fatty deposits, cause the arteries to narrow and make it more difficult for blood to flow through them.
Eventually, this buildup means that your heart can't pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body, causing chest pain (angina) or a heart attack. Most cases of acute coronary syndrome occur when the surface of the plaque buildup in your heart arteries ruptures and causes a blood clot to form. The combination of the plaque buildup and the blood clot dramatically limits the amount of blood flowing to your heart muscle. If the blood flow is severely limited, a heart attack will occur.
- Acute coronary syndromes. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/cardiovascular_disorders/coronary_artery_disease/acute_coronary_syndromes_acs.html. Accessed April 2, 2013.
- Acute coronary syndromes. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/AboutHeartAttacks/Acute-Coronary-Syndrome_UCM_428752_Article.jsp. Accessed April 2, 2013.
- Diagnosis and treatment of chest pain and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Bloomington, Minn.: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. https://www.icsi.org/_asset/ydv4b3/ACS-Interactive1112b.pdf. Accessed March 27, 2013.
- What is angina? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/angina/printall-index.html. Accessed April 2, 2013.
- Ryan TJ, et al. Initial evaluation and management of suspected acute coronary syndrome in the emergency department. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 1, 2013.
- What do my cholesterol levels mean? American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/CholesterolToolsResources/Downloadable-Documents-for-Cholesterol_UCM_305648_Article.jsp. Accessed April 1, 2013.
- What is coronary heart disease? National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cad/printall-index.html. Accessed April 2, 2013.
- Alcoholic beverages and cardiovascular disease. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/Alcoholic-Beverages-and-Cardiovascular-Disease_UCM_305864_Article.jsp. Accessed March 22, 2013.
- Grogan M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 22, 2013.
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