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Acute Coronary Syndrome

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Call 911 for Sudden Chest Pain

If you have any sudden or unexplained chest pain, call 911 immediately.

What is Acute Coronary Syndrome?

Acute coronary syndrome is caused by reduced blood flow to the heart, sometimes due to unstable angina (felt as chest pain) or a heart attack. Immediate treatment is vital.

Symptoms of Acute Coronary Syndrome

Men and women may not experience the same symptoms (women experience more non-pain symptoms). The most common symptoms are:

Chest pressure, tightness or pain
Pain in the left arm or left side of the jaw
Nausea
Vomiting
Shortness of breath
Sudden sweating
Heart palpitations
Anxiety
Heartburn or abdominal pain
Lightheadedness
Dizziness
Clammy skin

UR Medicine's Treatments for Acute Coronary Syndrome

Heart disease remains the number one killer in the U.S., and the best way to beat it is to prevent it. UR Medicine’s Preventive Cardiology Program offers the most advanced, proven methods for preventing heart disease and enjoying a healthy lifestyle.

The first of its kind in the Rochester metropolitan area and surrounding region, our program features

Support in quitting smoking.
The Rochester metropolitan area and surrounding region's only Women’s Heart Program.
Diet and exercise programs to help you lose weight and reduce your risk.
Heart disease prevention for the whole family, including high-risk relatives.
Research and access to the most advanced approaches for preventing heart disease.

Doctors in the emergency department may perform several tests, including blood tests and an electrocardiogram, to determine the best treatment.

Treatments include:

Medication: Aspirin, nitroglycerin, and thrombolytics ("clot busters") can be used to improve blood flow to your heart. Local emergency departments are trained in treating acute coronary syndrome and work closely with UR Medicine when patients need to be transferred here.
Angioplasty and stent placement: A thin tube called a catheter is inserted through a blood vessel and threaded up to the blocked artery. A tiny “balloon” at the end of the catheter opens up the blockage. A stent—a miniature wire tube—is then placed in the blood vessel to allow blood to flow normally.
Coronary artery bypass surgery: A blood vessel is taken from another part of your body and used to go around (bypass) the blocked coronary artery. This kind of open-heart surgery is used for more severe blockages.

Patient Stories

Father Salmon

"I went into cardiac arrest during a meeting. And that put me in danger of brain damage."

Duff's Story

His heart stopped beating without warning. Here's what happened next.

Kris's Story

Kris won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1984 in Women's Rowing, becoming the first Alaskan to ever win an Olympic medal. About 20 years later, at the age of 47, she suffered a heart attack. Kris was treated at Thompson Hospital in Canandaigua, and was then transferred to Strong Memorial Hospital for more extensive care. She then returned to Thompson for cardiac rehab. Kris has now returned to an active life of rowing and, at age 50, took up a new sport: ice hockey.

What Sets Us Apart?

Immediate treatment is crucial. At UR Medicine Cardiac Care, we’ve refined our entire process to minimize the time it takes to get treatment.

UR Medicine is one of the few heart centers in the country able to use temporary heart pumps to help a patient's heart through the period of most intense shock.

We have a Heart Attack Team on standby 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and we practice advanced procedures designed specifically to help patients who suffer severe heart attacks.

We also run the Women’s Heart Program, because there are differences between women and men when it comes to heart problems—including risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. We’ve built a team of experts around personalized heart care for women.