Chest Pain Flashcards
Name all questions in presenting complaint? (9)
- “Is there any history of MI/stroke (before the age of 65) in your family?”
- “Can you point to where the pain is worst?”
- “Can you describe the pain?”
- “Does the pain radiate anywhere?”
- “Have you got any nausea, sweating, anxiety, cough or dyspnoea?”
- “Is the pain constant or does it come and go?”
- “Does anything make the pain better or worse?”
- “Out of 10, how bad is the pain?”
- “Have you ever had anything like this before?”
- “Have you noticed any leg or ankle swelling?”
Cardiac pain is usually where and like what?
Central and crushing
What other pains can be central?
GOR, aortic dissection, pericarditis
Chest wall pain is usually…?
Well localised
Pain of a pneuothorax is usually…?
Well localised
How would the patient describe angina?
patient may feel ‘discomfort’ rather than pain, describing it as crushing, dull or aching. They may experience heaviness or paraesthesia in one or both arms
How may the patient describe an MI?
Similar to angina but more severe
How would pleuritic pain, chest wall pain and pain of a pneumothorax be described?
Characteristically sharp and severe
A dissecting aortic aneurysm is described as what?
‘Tearing’
A massive PE can cause what types of pain?
An angina type pain or a pleuritic pain
Where does cardiac pain typically radiate to?
Left arm, neck and/or jaw and occasionally into the teeth, back or abdomen
Where does the pain of a dissecting aortic aneurysm radiate to?
Back
Diseases of cervical or upper thoracic spine cause pain that radiates from…to…?
From the back to the front of the chest
What associated symptoms will an MI produce?
Dyspnoea, sweating, anxiety, nausea and faintness
Associated symptoms of a chest infection along with pleuritic pain?
Productive cough and pyrexia
PE pain is associated with…?
Dyspnoea and cough/haemoptysis
Pneumothorax pain associated with…?
Dyspnoea
Oseophageal spasm will have pain associated with…?
Dysphagia
How is stable angina relieved?
Rest/nitrates. Brought on by exertion
How is pleuritic pain brought on/relieved?
Brought on by inspiration and relieved by sitting up and leaning forwards
Chest wall pain is made worse by…?
Respiration or movement of the shoulders
Oesophageal spasm may be precipitated by…? and relieved by…?
Precipitated by drinking hot or cold fluids and is relieved by rest
Unilateral leg swelling suggests what?
May be a DVT and PE
Bilateral leg swelling worse at night suggests what?
Heart failure
