Acute coronary syndrome

Cardiology · CC1

This topic appears in the RCEM clinical syllabus. Start with a relevant resource below, then use a case or practice activity to test what you have learned.

View this area in the official clinical syllabus

The ACS sessions cover assessment and initial decisions. LoDED is a separate higher-level critical-appraisal exercise.

Learn

Ep 299 – Which patients with chest pain need a troponin?
Podcast · Listen 19:30
Consider when troponin testing helps assess possible ACS.
Ep 167 – Troponin Update and LoDED Study Review with Rick Body
Podcast · Listen 27:19
Appraise an early rule-out strategy using the LoDED trial discussion.

Discuss

Assessing acute coronary syndrome
Lesson plan · Early-career EM · Preparation about 18 min · 45-minute session · 30-minute option
Discuss urgent ECG findings, initial ACS care and the limits of high-sensitivity troponin pathways.
Learner preparation Facilitator guide
Acute coronary syndrome: initial assessment
Lesson plan · Medical students · Preparation about 13 min · 45-minute session · 30-minute option
Connect the clinical story, ECG and assay-specific troponin pathway while recognising when treatment cannot wait.
Learner preparation Facilitator guide
Chest pain: choosing the right diagnostic pathway
Lesson plan · Induction · Early-career EM · Preparation about 18 min · 45-minute session · 30-minute option
Discuss the initial chest-pain assessment and how to choose between ACS, PE and aortic investigation pathways.
Learner preparation Facilitator guide
Journal club: LoDED and safe early discharge
Lesson plan · Higher training · Preparation about 28 min · 60-minute session · 30-minute option
Appraise the LoDED diagnostic-strategy trial and discuss what would be needed to apply its findings locally.
Learner preparation Facilitator guide

Teaching programmes

Starting in Emergency Medicine
Teaching programme
1 relevant session in this programme.
Early-career Emergency Medicine
Teaching programme
1 relevant session in this programme.
Higher Training and Advanced Discussion
Teaching programme
1 relevant session in this programme.

Lesson links are St Emlyn’s educational mappings. Their individual clinical-review status still applies; attending a session does not demonstrate curriculum competence.