Coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of mortality in the UK. This review focuses on the contemporary management of patients with acute coronary syndromes and those with stable angina, including the role of primary percutaneous coronary intervention versus fibrinolytic therapy in a UK setting, current and emerging antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies and the latest guidance on secondary prevention/lifestyle modification.
This paper traces the understanding of angina pectoris over two centuries from its first description by William Heberden, emphasising the Scottish dimension in this process. Such a retrospect is appropriate at a time when natural disasters in several parts of the world are drawing attention to their effect in increasing the incidence of heart attacks.
Keywords History, angina, heart disease, cardiology, Scottish medicine
Declaration of Interests No conflict of interests declared.
