Progress in pediatric cardiology chest pain for the pediatric primary care provider

Abstract

BackgroundCardiac chest pain is a difficult chief complaint to tackle at the pediatrician's office. Although most pediatric chest pain is of non-cardiac etiology, the causes that are cardiac can be fatal. Caretakers and patients also find chest pain to be overly concerning, although rare, sudden cardiac death is well-publicized in the media. Cardiac complications of Multisystem Inflammatory Disease have become more prevalent, this should be added to the causes of cardiac chest pain in the pediatric population. Aim of reviewProviders must be well versed in the typical and atypical findings and causes of pediatric chest pain to prevent mortality. This review article may be used as a reference for primary care providers to provide guidance, reassurance, and management plans for treating not only chest pain but also the impact that this pain can have on a patient's activities of daily life. Key scientific concepts of reviewThis article discusses the most common presentations of cardiac and non-cardiac pediatric chest pain at the primary care provider's office.