ABSTRACT
Risk assessment is an important part of the initial and ongoing evaluation of patients with a non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome. It can determine the patient’s prognosis and likely response to various treatments, guide decisions as to which therapeutic approach is most appropriate, indicate the likely duration of the hospital stay, and provide helpful information for the patient and their family. It also encourages cost-effective use of resources in that more expensive treatments can be targeted to patients identified as being at high risk, while those at low risk can be discharged early. Risk assessment can also be used to identify patients for enrollment in clinical trials so that new therapies can be appropriately evaluated.
