Chest Pain Flashcards
What should you do for a patient with chest pain upon arriving to the room?
if arrest, call code and initiate CAB
determine sick/not-sick
assess primary survey with ABCs and vital signs
What should be done within 5-10 minutes of all high risk patients with undifferentiated chest pain?
EKG
Describe the evolution of an MI on EKG.
- hyperacute T waves (wide and tall)
- ST elevation
- Q waves with T wave inversion and ST elevation
- ST elevation improveds, but Q waves and T waves still
- T wave normalizes, but Q wave persists
What are the 6 critical diagnoses you must consider in someone with chest pain?
ACS PE aortic dissection tension pneumo esophageal rupture pericarditis with tamponade
What are the classic signs and symptoms of ACS?
chest pain, weakness, nausea, fatigue, diaphoresis, ill appearance, maybe rales
What are the classic signs and symptoms of a PE?
pleuritic chest pain, SOB, + risk factors, tachycardia, clear lungs, unilateral leg swelling
What are the classic signs and symptoms of aortic dissection
sudden onset severe ripping pain to back with paresthesia or paralysis, unequal blood pressures, abnormal pulses, neurologic deficits
What are the classic signs and symptosm of tension pneumo?
sudden onset severe unilateral pleuritic chest pain, hypotension, unequal breath sounds, tracheal deviations
What are the classic signs and symptoms of esophageal rupture?
intense substernal chest pain after vomiting or endoscopic procedure, hamman’s crunch (crackle sounds heard or felt in time with heart beat)
What are the classic signs and symptoms of pericarditis/tamponade?
pleuritic chest pain and dyspnea, muffle heart sounds, distended neck veins, hypotension
What are the less acute possible sources for chest pain?
costochondritis
pleurisy
GERD
anxiety
