Acute coronary syndrome
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a very common and life-threatening result of coronary heart disease, which affects an estimated 17.6 American adults, and results in estimated annual health care costs of $177 billion. ACS conditions, which include acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina, occur when a coronary artery is blocked by a blood clot, reducing the blood supply to the heart. The overall prevalence of ACS in U.S. adults is 3.6%. In 2011, an estimated 785,000 Americans will have a new coronary attack and about 470,000 will have a recurrent attack. In addition, about 195,000 "silent" heart attacks occur each year. Despite available therapies, the risk of illness or death for patients with ACS remains high. Almost 30% of patients who leave the hospital after an ACS event are readmitted within the first 6 months.
Stroke
Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is the sudden loss of circulation to an area of the brain resulting in a corresponding loss of neurological function AIS is a leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death in the US. Stroke is also the second most common cause of dementia, the most frequent cause of epilepsy in the elderly, and a frequent cause of depression. AIS affects 800,000 patients per year. About 25% of these die within one year, and 15% to 30% are permanently disabled. In a western population of 1 million inhabitants, 2,400 new strokes and 500 new transient ischemic attacks (TIA) will occur every year. About 25% of strokes are recurrent strokes or first stroke after TIA, and 90% are of ischemic origin. In 2008, direct and indirect costs related to stroke were estimated at $65.5 billion
