Chest pain resident survival guide: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Gerald Chi (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
Rim Halaby (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
==Causes== | ==Causes== | ||
===Life-Threatening Causes=== | ===Life-Threatening Causes=== | ||
Life-threatening causes | Life-threatening causes include conditions which may result in death or permanent disability within 24 hours if left untreated. | ||
* [[Aortic dissection]] | * [[Aortic dissection]] | ||
* [[Myocardial infarction]] | * [[Myocardial infarction]] | ||
Revision as of 15:42, 28 February 2014
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Rim Halaby, M.D. [2]
Definition
Chest pain is discomfort or pain that is felt anywhere along the front of the body between the neck and the upper abdomen.
Causes
Life-Threatening Causes
Life-threatening causes include conditions which may result in death or permanent disability within 24 hours if left untreated.
- Aortic dissection
- Myocardial infarction
- Pericardial tamponade
- Pneumothorax
- Pulmonary embolism
- Unstable angina
Common Causes
- Biliary colic
- Costochondritis
- Cocaine induced coronary vasospasm
- Esophageal spasm
- GERD
- Myocardial infarction
- Panic attacks
- Pneumonia
- Stable angina
Management
Please find below an algorithm that summarizes the approach to chest pain.
| Check vital signs Stabilize the patient Order an EKG Concise history and physical exam | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assess EKG | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| EKG consistent with ACS | EKG not consistent with ACS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Order a CXR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| STEMI Revascularization | NSTEMI Risk stratification | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pneumothorax | Aortic dissection | No significant findings on CXR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Control BP Obtain a CT scan Emergent surgery consult | Assess the pretest probability for pulmonary embolism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||