St Elevation Myocardial Infarction

An anterior myocardial infarction results from occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery.

The most serious form of the acute coronary syndrome, ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, or STEMI, most often results from complete thrombotic occlusion of a major epicardial coronary artery.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory and metabolic disease and pathologic process characterized by the accumulation of cholesterol and calcium plaque within the arterial wall. [Kobiyama K, et al. Circ Res. 2018;1a]

An acute coronary syndrome occurs when atherosclerotic coronary plaque becomes unstable, leading to a series of events eventually resulting in partial or total thrombotic occlusion of a coronary artery.

Bivalirudin (Angiomax) is a direct thrombin inhibitor used as an anticoagulant to treat acute coronary syndromes. Administration is intravenous only and it has a short half-life of 25 minutes.