Different treatments and outcomes of consecutive patients with non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction depending on initial electrocardiographic changes (results of the Acute Coronary Syndromes [ACOS] Registry)

Of 6,302 consecutive patients with acute non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction, 42.8% presented with ST depression, 31.9% showed no significant electrocardiographic changes, and 25.3% presented with T inversion. In comparison with patients with T inversion or no significant electrocardiographic changes, patients with ST depression more often had 3-vessel coronary disease, received less acute therapy despite a strong benefit in a subgroup analysis, and had a worse clinical outcome even after adjustment in a multivariate analysis. Patients with T inversion received a high rate of acute therapy and had a better outcome than did patients without significant electrocardiographic changes and patients with ST depression.