Volume 73 Number 1 January 2006	back to contents

Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Department of Emergency Medicine, Jersey City Medical Center, Jersey City, NJ.

Address all correspondence to Eric J. Wasserman, M.D., Associate Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, Jersey City Medical Center, 355 Grand Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302; email: eric.wasserman@mssm.edu

Accepted for publication September 2005.

ABSTRACT

We review the concept of atherothrombosis and the critically important role of inflammation in the development of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Inflammation is now known to be a major driving force underlying the initiation of coronary plaques, their unstable progression, and eventual disruption, and it also contributes significantly to thrombotic complications that occur in ACS. In addition, we discuss the various local mediators and systemic markers that are involved in the inflammatory process, and review the concepts of “vulnerable plaque,” “vulnerable blood,” “vulnerable myocardium,” and the “vulnerable patient” who is at increased risk for ACS.

KEYWORDS

Inflammation, markers, mediators, vulnerable, acute coronary syndrome.

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