Chest Pain in PC (Jaynstein) (Midterm) Flashcards
What are the 5 basic differential topics to consider when a Pt presents with CP?
- Cardiovascular
- Trauma/MS
- Pulmonary
- Infectious
- Other
Within the cardiovascular CP differential, what must you consider?
- ACS (Acute Coronary Syndrome)
- AAA (Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm)
- AS (Aortic Stenosis)
Pts with Aortic Stenosis are S.A.D. because?
They experience _S_yncope, _A_ngina, and _D_yspnea
Within the Trauma/MS CP differential, what must you consider?
- Chest wall Pain (Fx’s or contusions)
- Pneumothorax
- Boerhaaves syndrome (spontaneous perf of esophagus)
- Costochondritis
Within the Pulmonary CP differential, what must you consider?
Pulmonary Embolism
Within the Infectious CP differential, what must you consider?
- Pleurisy
- Pneumonia
- Myocarditis
Within the Other CP differential, what must you consider?
- GI - GERD
- Esophageal
- PUD
- GB
- Psych
- Toxicity
Remember, consider a system above and below.
What drug often causes CP?
Cocaine
Should Psych causes of CP be your go-to assumption?
NO! No matter how anxious or psychotic a Pt may seem do not assume their CP is psych related until you have ruled out other more serious causes.
Which two of the CP differentials can be hard to distinguish given clinical presentation, and warrant investigation of both as a cause of CP?
ACS and PE
What percentage of Pts presenting with CP to a PCP have unstable heart disease?
1.5%
What is the most common cause of CP in Pts who present to their PCP?
Chest Wall Syndrome (CWS)
Of the 8 million Pts who present to an ED for CP which percent are Dxed with ACS?
13%
Chest wall syndrome is an umbrella term for?
Musculoskeletal chest pain (think chostochondritis)
If a provider says a Pt has nonspecific chest pain what do they mean?
That the CP is not related to coronary problems.
What is the main goal when assessing a Pt with CP in the primary care setting?
Determine who is stable vs. who is unstable
When determining who is stable vs unstable what are your 3 goals?
- Who is low risk?
- Who needs referral/testing? (Risk for MI in 90 days, needs preventative treatment)
- Who needs prompt transfer? (Currently unstable, get to ED STAT)
If there are ever any concerns for the ABC’s (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) what should you do?
Immediately send to ED
A Pt with CP, who shows NO signs of respiratory distress and has vital signs that are within “acceptable range” is?
Unlikely to be acutely unstable and is safe to evaluate in the office. Get a complete H&P.
A Pt’s ABC’s are okay and vitals are acceptable to you, what is the first step in proceeding with the H&P?
Get an ECG
If your office does not have an ECG machine what now?
You should not be evaluating a Pt with CP in an office without an ECG, send them to the ED.
What are good questions to ask a Pt who presents with CP?
- Are you currently having chest pain?
- What were you doing when it started?
- What seems to bring the pain on?
- Have you had pain like this before?
- How long did it last, what made it go away?
- Is it worse with activity?
- Have you ever had a heart exam/workup before?
- Have you taken an aspirin today?
When asking what were you doing when the pain started and what seems to bring the pain on, you are assessing what?
Whether the pain is brought on by exertion. If the pain was brought on by exertion and went away with rest this shows stable angina while if the pain came on suddenly while the Pt was relaxing is much more concerning for an unstable condition.
What question do many providers forget to ask?
Have you had pain like this before? If yes, were you evaluated for it? What testing was done?
When is a Pt unlikely to need to undergo another cardiac workup/stress test?
If they have had one done in the last 90 days.
What is the goal of treadmill cardiac stress testing?
To find evidence of occlusive disease. If one was done in the previous 90 days it is next to impossible a Pt will have developed an occlusive disease since then.
If a Pt says they have taken an aspirin today what should your follow-up be?
Did you take a baby aspirin or a full-dose aspirin?
Pts with ACS should take a baby aspirin or full dose aspirin?
Full dose
How many baby aspirins equals a full dose aspirin?
4
CP after eating large meals points to what cause?
GI
CP after exertion points to what cause?
Cardiac
CP after exposure to cold, experiencing emotional stress, or after sex points to what cause?
Cardiac
What symptom of CP would point to an esophageal origin?
If the CP is worse with swallowing
If body position, movement, and/or deep breathing make CP worse what should you think?
The origin of the CP is likely musculoskeletal.
If CP is relieved after eating or taking an antacid it is?
Likely due to a Gastro-esophageal origin
If CP is relieved after taking sublingual nitro that means it is definitely a cardiac cause right?
Nope! Nitro causes smooth muscle relaxation, meaning heart muscle will relax but so will esophageal muscle, so it does not help with diagnostic eval.
You give a Pt a GI cocktail (viscous lidocaine and antacid, possible H2 blocker or PPI) and their CP goes away, must have been a GI cause for their pain right?
Nah, could be cardiac too, does not help with diagnosis.
Cessation of CP with rest indicates?
Probable cardiac cause.
CP with sitting up and leaning forward is a classical sign of?
Pericarditis
What do the following associated symptoms of CP point to? (lots of options)
- Belching, bad tatse in mouth, dysphagia
- Vomiting
- Diaphoresis
- Syncope
- Near-syncope
- Fatigue
- Belching, bad tatse in mouth, dysphagia
- Esophageal disease
- Vomiting
- MI or GI problems
- Diaphoresis
- Is a concerning sign regardless of what is going on.
- MI more likely than an esophageal disease
- Syncope
- Dissection, PE, critical AS, ruptured AAA
- Near-syncope
- Myocardial ischemia
- Fatigue
- May be presenting symptom of MI, especially in the elderly.