Non-traumatic chest pain in young adults: a medical audit. Issue 3 (September 1990)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Luke, L C; Cusack, S; Smith, H; Robertson, C E; Little, K
• Is Part Of: Emergency medicine journal. Volume 7:Issue 3(1990)
• Page Start: 183
• Page End: 188
• Publication Date: 1990-09
• Subjects: Emergency medicine -- Periodicals; 616.02505
• DOI: 10.1136/emj.7.3.183
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1472-0205

Abstract

Abstract : Four hundred consecutive young patients who attended an accident and emergency department with non-traumatic chest pain as their primary complaint were reviewed. They represented 0.7% of total new attendances. Most were self-referrals, but ambulance transport was requested for over 25%. The majority of investigations (mainly chest radiography and electrocardiography) performed in this group of patients were normal; however, almost one in six investigations was judged to be abnormal. Although this group of patients is at low risk for serious cardiorespiratory disease, a small but significant number of underlying (mainly non-cardiac) disorders was found and 22.5% (90) required in-patient admission. In contrast, almost one-fifth of patients received no specific diagnosis, while almost 40% were deemed to require no follow-up.