loading dose. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors are a class of intravenous antiplatelet agents used in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, consisting of abciximab, eptifibatide and tirofiban. Patients presenting with ST elevation that will be reperfused with percutaneous coronary intervention may receive one of the above agents at the time of catheterization, or perhaps before. Administering eptifibatide or tirofiban may also be reasonable in patients presenting with NST-ACS who are considered of intermediate or high risk and are treated with early invasive strategy. Anticoagulants Anticoagulants in acute coronary syndrome are targeted against the coronary blood clot, as well as towards prevention of thrombotic complications, like formation of blood clots in the ventricles, stroke, pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis. Patients undergoing PCI also need an anticoagulant to prevent catheter thrombosis. Options include unfractionated heparin, enoxaparin (a low molecular weight heparin), fondaparinux (a pentasaccharide antagonist of factor Xa) and bivalirudin (a direct thrombin inhibitor); all the above agents are given parenterally (subcutaneously or intravenously). Unfractionated heparin has the disadvantage of requiring dose adjustment based on a laboratory exam, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). In STEMI patients choice depends on the reperfusion strategy used (see below); bivalirudin is used when PCI is employed only, while in the same case fondaparinux is not preferred. Similarly, in Non-STE ACS bivalirudin too is only used when an early invasive strategy is chosen. Reperfusion The concept of reperfusion has become so central to the modern treatment of acute myocardial infarction, that we are said to be in the reperfusion era. Patients who present with suspected acute myocardial infarction and ST segment elevation (STEMI) or new bundle branch block on the 12 lead ECG are presumed to have an occlusive thrombosis in an epicardial coronary artery. They are therefore candidates for immediate reperfusion, either with thrombolytic therapy, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or when these therapies are unsuccessful, bypass surgery. Individuals without ST segment elevation are presumed to be experiencing either unstable angina (UA) or non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). They receive many of the same initial therapies and are often stabilized with antiplatelet drugs and anticoagulated. If their condition remains (hemodynamically) stable, they can be offered either late coronary angiography with subsequent restoration of blood flow (revascularization), or non-invasive stress testing to determine if there is significant ischemia that would benefit from revascularization. If hemodynamic instability develops in individuals with NSTEMIs, they may undergo urgent