Arntz H-R
Medizinische Klinik II, Kardiologie und Pulmologie, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany.
Z Kardiol. 2004;93 Suppl 1:I23-5. doi: 10.1007/s00392-004-1108-7.
The new ESC guidelines for secondary prevention after STEMI recommend acetylsalicylic acid, betablockers, ACE inhibitors, statins and as a new therapeutic option 1 g n-3-fatty acids. They also advocate strict control of elevated blood pressure and plasma glucose level. To stop smoking remains obligatory, supplemented by the advice to adhere to a mediterranean diet. The clinical value of using 1 g n-3-fatty acids was shown in the GISSI-P trial and seem to reduce especially arrhythmic events. Considering the number needed to treat for the different pharmacologic therapies, betablockers and ACE inhibitors are essentials if not contraindicated, n-3-fatty acids and statins show each comparable efficacy while acetylsalicylic acid still provides a good cost/benefit relation due to its low price.