|
Sponsored Links
In medicine, chest pain is a symptom of a number of serious conditions and is generally considered a medical emergency. Even though it may be determined that the chest pain is non-cardiac in origin this is often a diagnosis of exclusion made after ruling out more serious causes of pain. Important cardiovascular and pulmonary causes of chest pain As in all medicine, a careful medical history and physical examination is essential in separating dangerous from trivial causes of disease, and the management of chest pain is often done on specialised units (termed medical assessment units) to concentrate the investigations. A rapid diagnosis can be life-saving and often has to be made without the help of X-rays or blood tests (e.g. aortic dissection). Occasionally, invisible medical signs will direct the diagnosis towards particular causes, such as Levine's sign in cardiac ischemia. Generally, however, additional tests are required to establish the diagnosis. An emergency medicine doctor will also focus on recent health changes, family history (premature atherosclerosis, cholesterol disorders), tobacco smoking, diabetes and other risk factors.
|
Chest Pain Subcategories
Chest Pain Articles
|
| 
