Letters
Cardiovascular diseases
Volume 186 - Issue 2

Guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes 2006

Authors:  Constantine N Aroney and Philip Aylward

Med J Aust 2007; 186 (2): 101-102. || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2007.tb00821.x
Published online: 15 January 2007
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In reply: We thank Eikelboom et al for presenting new data on acute coronary syndrome (ACS) management. In this field of rapid advances, another recent study, ACUITY, has also been published, which examined bivalirudin in ACS.1 The Australian guidelines2 are based on peer reviewed published reports, and neither OASIS-53 nor ACUITY1 were released at the conclusion of the formulation of the guidelines. Also, fondaparinux is only available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in Australia for thromboembolic prophylaxis, and bivalirudin is currently only approved by the PBS for therapy during percutaneous coronary interventions.

The Australian guidelines are consistent with international guidelines for both unfractionated heparin and low molecular weight heparin considered as Grade A recommendations for treating non-ST-segment-elevation ACS, based on Level 1 evidence (American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines). For example, the FRISC trial showed a significant reduction in mortality and myocardial infarction with dalteparin (compared with placebo; 1.8% v 4.8%; P = 0.001) at 6 days, which persisted at 40 days.4

The Australian ACS guidelines are a living document, and new evidence, such as the OASIS-5 (fondaparinux)3 and ACUITY (bivalirudin)1 findings, will be considered on their relative merits in future updates of the guidelines (available on the National Heart Foundation Australia website at http://www.heartfoundation.com.au).

Authors

  • Constantine N Aroney1
  • Philip Aylward2
  • 1. Holy Spirit Northside Hospital, Brisbane, QLD.
  • 2. Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, SA.

Correspondence: cardiologist@qldcardiology.com.au

Competing interests

The authors are consultants, advisory committee members, or receive honoraria, fees for service, or travel assistance (independent of research related meetings) from, or have research or other associations with, the organisations listed: Constantine Aroney — CSL, Merck Sharpe & Dohme, Sanofi-aventis; Phil Aylward — Sanofi-aventis, Pfizer, Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, Procter & Gamble, Eli Lilly, The Medicines Co, Servier, CSL, Schering Plough.

References

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