PRESCRIPTION PATTERN OF DRUGS IN MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME IN POST-ANGIOPLASTY PATIENTS - A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is one of the most serious manifestations of coronary artery disease (CAD) and remains a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. The global burden of ACS and ischaemic heart disease remains substantial, accounting for approximately 7 million deaths and 129 million disability-adjusted life years annually. The burden is disproportionately concentrated in low- and middle-income countries, where age-standardized mortality from ACS remains higher than in many high-income regions.ACS represents a spectrum of clinical conditions resulting from acute myocardial ischaemia and includes ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and unstable angina. India contributes substantially to the global burden of coronary artery disease and acute coronary events. Although a precise contemporary national prevalence or incidence estimate for ACS is difficult to establish because of the absence of a comprehensive nationwide surveillance system, available registry data demonstrate a considerable disease burden. The CREATE registry, one of the largest multicentre ACS registries in India, included 20,937 patients from 89 centres across 50 cities and reported that 60.6% of patients presented with STEMI. Similarly, the Kerala ACS Registry documented 25,748 consecutive ACS admissions across 125 hospitals, further demonstrating the substantial burden of acute coronary events in India.