To describe the impact of invasive management on 12-month survival among patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Australia.

Prospective nationwide multicentre registry.

Patients presenting to 24 metropolitan and 15 non-metropolitan hospitals with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and high-risk and intermediate-risk non-ST-segment-elevation ACS (NSTEACS) between 1 November 2005 and 31 July 2007.

Death, myocardial infarction (MI) or recurrent MI, revascularisation and stroke at 12 months.

Among 3402 patients originally enrolled, vital status at 12 months was available for 3393 (99.7%). Patients from non-metropolitan areas (810) constituted 23.9% of patients. Early invasive management was more commonly undertaken among patients with STEMI (STEMI, 89.7% v non-STEMI, 70.8% v unstable angina, 44.8% v stable angina, 35.8%; P < 0.001). Factors most associated with receiving invasive management included admission with suspected STEMI or high-risk NSTEACS, being male and the hospital having an onsite cardiac surgical service. Overall mortality by 12 months among patients with STEMI, non-STEMI, unstable angina and stable angina was 8.0%, 10.5%, 3.3%, and 3.7% (P < 0.001), respectively. After adjusting for a propensity model predicting early invasive management and other known confounders, early invasive management was associated with a 12-month mortality hazard ratio of 0.53 (95% CI, 0.34–0.84, P = 0.007).

A substantial burden of late morbidity and mortality persists among patients with ACS within contemporary Australian clinical practice. Under-use of invasive management may be associated with an excess in 12-month mortality, suggesting the need for more use of invasive management among these patients.