EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF UNSTABLE ANGINA

Unstable angina is one of the clinical forms of non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome and remains highly relevant in contemporary cardiological practice. In recent years, views on the epidemiology of this condition have changed considerably. This is associated not only with changes in the structure of cardiovascular morbidity, but also with the widespread introduction of high-sensitivity troponin assays, due to which some patients previously classified as having unstable angina are now diagnosed with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Despite the decrease in the recorded frequency of this diagnosis, unstable angina remains a clinically significant condition, especially in elderly patients and in individuals with diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, chronic kidney disease, and multiple cardiovascular risk factors. This article discusses current epidemiological aspects of unstable angina, its place in the structure of acute coronary syndrome, and the influence of age, sex, comorbidity, and recent diagnostic approaches.