BIOMARKERS AND THEIR CLINICAL UTILITY IN ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME

Abstract

This narrative literature review brought together articles published in the last twenty years in the PUBMED and SciELO databases, aiming to indicate in the selected literature the main biomarkers and their clinical use in the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). It can be said that SCA is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the world, affecting millions of individuals annually. ACS comprises three main conditions: unstable angina, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The prevalence of ACS increases with age, being more common in men and individuals with cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and smoking. In the diagnosis of ACS, biomarkers play a crucial role. Cardiac troponins are the biomarkers of choice due to their high specificity and sensitivity for myocardial damage. Other biomarkers, such as creatine kinase-MB, type B natriuretic peptide and C-reactive protein, complement the diagnosis and help with risk stratification and therapeutic monitoring, improving clinical management and patient outcomes.