Critical pathway management of unstable angina.

The critical pathway for UA is a multidisciplinary management tool designed to assist in expediting the treatment and evaluation of this frequent clinical syndrome. No critical pathway or practice guideline will meet the needs of all patients, and flexibility for patient variations and physician judgment is mandatory. Prediction tools and other facilitators cannot replace and must not impede the thoughtful assessment of complex clinical situations. Numerous factors, occasionally social or political in nature, impact on patient treatment strategies and the application of interventions. It is our hope that the Unstable Angina Critical Pathway will form a foundation for further innovation and cooperative effort toward optimizing the management of patients with acute ischemic syndromes.