A Study to Improve Cardiovascular Outcomes in High Risk PatieNts With Acute Coronary Syndrome (ICON1)

Coronary artery disease and heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the UK. Our population is ageing. The number of older patients suffering heart attacks and having angioplasty procedures to open up blocked heart arteries is increasing. After angioplasty, older patients (80 years of age or over) are at 5 times increased risk of death at one year compared to their predicted normal life expectancy. In addition, many patients present with further heart attacks, stroke and undergo repeat heart catheter test and angioplasty procedures. At present it is not clear who will or will not experience further problems in the future. The ability to predict who will and will not suffer future problems at the time of initial presentation can be helpful in providing additional treatment and close monitoring to those that are at risk of further problems. The ICON 1 study is set out to study just that. In this study, older patients will undergo a comprehensive evaluation of the cardiovascular disease burden by undergoing additional investigations. These results from each patient will be used to develop a risk score that will inform physicians of the patient's future risk of developing adverse events and provide a better understanding of how to manage older patients with coronary artery disease and also help plan future studies looking at treatment strategies that might be beneficial in improving outcomes.