The ultimate goals for treating ACS are to:

• Minimize necrosis of heart tissue, thereby maintaining the function of the left heart, preventing failure, and minimizing other cardiac complications 
• Prevent major adverse cardiac events (MACE) such as death, acute MI, and the urgent need for coronary revascularization
• Manage life-threatening and significant complications such as cardiac arrest arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, and the mechanical/anatomical complications of acute MI (e.g., ventricular wall or papillary muscle rupture). 

Effective treatment of ACS begins with early recognition, as soon as EMS receives a call that is indicative of a cardiac etiology. By doing so, EMS can begin rapid triage, assessment, and initial treatments. 

Goals of Emergency Medical Services care include the following:

• Obtaining an electrocardiogram (ECG) for diagnosis
• Notifying the receiving hospital early about possible ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)
• Activating cardiac catheterization personnel
• Improving the quality of care.

Goals of Hospital care:

• Emergency Department:
  • Activate cardiac catheterization personnel
  • Arrange ICU transfer
  • Improve the quality of care and staff education
• Emergency physicians:
  • Determine the appropriate reperfusion protocol
  • Ensure early activation of the cardiac catheterization team
• Hospital administration:
  • Support rapid STEMI reperfusion protocols