Introduction: Coronary disease is the leading cause of death worldwide; there are established associations between the occurrence of acute coronary events and distinct triggers, but the frequency of these factors can vary among populations. Awareness of these risk factors allows the comprehension of the physiopathology of the disease, and aids in the execution of preventive strategies to decrease its incidence in people at high risk. Aim: To describe the physical, emotional, pathological and pharmacological factors that might trigger acute coronary events in the population cared for in a university hospital in Medellin, Colombia. Materials and methods: A descriptive study was conducted. There were 229 patients included with confirmed diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome, and their potential risk factors were quantified; in addition, exploratory data analysis was performed to try to establish their relationship with each type of coronary syndrome. Results: In 74.6% of patients at least one risk factor was identified; the most common factors were lack of sleep, tobacco consumption, a chagrin or argument, consumption of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, overwork, and alcohol drinking. Exploratory analysis data showed heavy meal, smoking and use of psychoactive drugs were more frequent in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction. Conclusion: The trigger factor could be identified in most of acute coronary syndrome events. Physicians that treat patients with coronary risk factors must identify such factors and educate their patients to reduce the risk of an acute coronary syndrome.