Thrombosis in unstable angina: angiographic aspects

Angiographic studies in patients with unstable angina indicate that intracoronary thrombus is present in a substantial proportion of patients with unstable angina who have early angiography and that these patients often have distinctive coronary lesion morphology that may represent a marker for instability. These studies, in conjunction with recent histopathologic studies demonstrating plaque defects and overlying thrombosis in patients with unstable ischemia and sudden death, suggest a common mechanism for unstable angina and myocardial infarction and strongly support the rationale for antithrombotic therapy with heparin and with aspirin in the management of patients with unstable angina.