[The OSCAR registry. Registry of acute coronary syndromes]

The aim of the OSCAR observatory was to describe the medical management of patients hospitalised for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Demographic characteristics, risk factors, history of cardiovascular events, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures on admission and during the stay in hospital were recorded. From september 2000 to february 2001, 869 patients with acute coronary syndrome were enrolled in this survey. This sample of patients is quite similar to the one usually described in such studies with a male/female ratio of 2.7 and a mean age of 66. The initial diagnosis at entry was: 23.6% patients with unstable angina, 34.4% patients with myocardial infarction with ST elevation, and 42.0% of patients with myocardial infarction without ST-elevation. Troponins were used in 65% patients for troponin I, 13% for troponin T and should be more widely used. Whatever the inclusion diagnosis, planned procedures or biological data, only 25% of hospitalized patients for acute coronary syndrome were treated with anti-GPIIb/IIIa. This rate of treatment was lower than expected by the guidelines published by Societies of cardiology.