The TIMI (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction) Risk Score is a simple yet powerful tool designed to predict short-term risk of adverse cardiac events in patients presenting with unstable angina or non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Developed from large multicenter clinical trials, it assigns one point for each of seven independent predictors of risk, all of which can be obtained from the patient’s history, physical examination, ECG and basic laboratory results.

The score helps estimate the probability of death, new or recurrent myocardial infarction, or the need for urgent revascularization within 14 days of presentation.

Its utility lies in its ability to quickly stratify patients into low, intermediate, or high-risk groups, guiding the urgency and intensity of treatment. Low-risk patients may be candidates for conservative management and observation, while high-risk patients benefit from aggressive medical therapy and early invasive strategies.

The TIMI score has been validated in multiple studies and remains widely used because of its ease of application, reproducibility, and integration into clinical pathways. By combining objective risk factors into a single numerical value, it enables more consistent decision-making, facilitates communication between healthcare providers, and supports evidence-based care for acute coronary syndrome patients.