Coronary heart disease is the most common cause of death in the United States (US) and Europe.543, 215 ACS, a common complication of coronary heart disease, is associated with more than 2.5 million hospitalizations worldwide each year.{216) ACS describes clinical disorders ranging from ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) to non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and unstable angina (UA).217 It is estimated that a myocardial infarction (MI) occurs every 34 seconds in the US, and that every 83 seconds one person dies from a major coronary event.544