chest pain
Last reviewed 01/2018
Various features of chest pain can provide clues to possible underlying pathology.
Features concerning the chest pain that should be elucidated include:
- site
- nature of the pain
- radiation
- precipitating factors
- relieving factors
- associated factors
Note that chest pain is very non-specific symptom and may be the result of a variety of pathologies. A chest pain with classical features may not always be caused by the most usual pathologies. For example classical angina, ie chest pain that is precipitated by exercise and relieved by rest, may be caused by pathologies other than coronary artery disease (e.g. anaemia or left ventricular outflow obstructions such as aortic stenosis and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy).
important causes of chest pain
some other causes of chest pain
features suggesting non cardiac pain
assessment and diagnosis of recent onset chest pain or discomfort of suspected cardiac origin