Strategies for the Emergency Room Evaluation of Patients with Chest Pain

Abstract

Summaries for Patients21 December 1999Strategies for the Emergency Room Evaluation of Patients with Chest PainSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-131-12-199912210-00023 SectionsAboutFull Text ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail What is the problem and what is known about it so far?Doctors do not want to send home from the emergency room patients with chest pain who are having heart attacks. On the other hand, hospitalizing everyone with chest pain would lead to a great many unnecessary hospital stays. Several kinds of tests can help doctors decide whether someone with chest pain has actually had a heart attack. For example, blood tests are used to look for substances such as CK-MB (an enzyme) or troponin I (a muscle-pump protein) that leak into the bloodstream from damaged heart muscle. Electrocardiograms ... Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: The summary below is from the full report titled “Emergency Department Triage Strategies for Acute Chest Pain Using Creatine Kinase-MB and Troponin I Assays: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.” It is in the 12 December 1999 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine (volume 131, pages 909-919). The authors are C.A. Polanczyk, K.M. Kuntz, D.B. Sacks, P.A. Johnson, and T.H. Lee.Summaries for Patients are a service provided by Annals to help patients better understand the complicated and often mystifying language of modern medicine.Summaries for Patients are presented for informational purposes only. These summaries are not a substitute for advice from your own medical provider. If you have questions about this material, or need medical advice about your own health or situation, please contact your physician. The summaries may be reproduced for not-for-profit educational purposes only. Any other uses must be approved by the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoEmergency Department Triage Strategies for Acute Chest Pain Using Creatine Kinase–MB and Troponin I Assays: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Carísi A. Polanczyk , Karen M. Kuntz , David B. Sacks , Paula A. Johnson , and Thomas H. Lee Metrics 21 December 1999Volume 131, Issue 12Page: 909KeywordsCreatine kinase MBElectrocardiographyEmergency departmentExerciseIschemiaMyocardial infarctionPatientsSimulation and modelingTriageTroponin ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 21 December 1999 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1999 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.Loading ...