The SYNTAX Score and SYNTAX-Based Clinical Risk Scores

Risk stratification is an important and essential component in appropriately informing patients electing to undergo coronary artery bypass graft or percutaneous coronary intervention. This process is an integral part of the SYNTAX pioneered Heart Team approach in selecting the most appropriate revascularization modality in patients with complex coronary artery disease. The SYNTAX score was pioneered as an anatomical-based risk score that aided in this decision-making process. The purpose of this review is to examine the SYNTAX score and subsequent risk models that have been developed on the basis of this landmark anatomical-based risk score.