Chest Pain Assessment
Chest Pain Assessment - Related Videos
13:32
Abdominal Exam IV: Acute Abdominal Pain Assessment
0 Views •
2023
Source: Joseph Donroe, MD, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT Abdominal pain is a frequent presenting concern in both the emergency department and the office setting. Acute abdominal pain is defined as pain lasting less than seven days, while an acute abdomen refers to the abrupt onset of severe abdominal pain with features suggesting a surgically intervenable process. The differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain is broad; thus, clinicians must have a...
13:42
A Murine Closed-chest Model of Myocardial Ischemia and Reperfusion
0 Views •
Cited by 19 •
2012
Surgical trauma induces an inflammatory response. Cytokines and endogenous ligands are known to modulate myocardial infarct size following ischemia and reperfusion. We present a modified closed-chest model of murine ischemia and reperfusion using hanging weights to minimize effects of thoracotomy.
08:05
Electrophysiological Methods to Assess Peripheral Pain Block in an Anesthetized Rat
0 Views •
2025
Here, we present a method for assessing the activation and block of sensory axons in peripheral nerves in acute, anesthetized, in vivo rat experiments using two types of spinal electrophysiological measurements that can discriminate the activity of nerve fiber subtypes: Local Field Potentials and Wide Dynamic Range single neuron recordings.
14:56
An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain (PPOP)
0 Views •
Cited by 109 •
2010
Diffuse noxious inhibitory control, temporal summation and wound hyperalgesia testing are demonstrated in the obstetric patient. These tests evaluate inhibitory and excitatory mechanisms of pain processing and are here utilized to evaluate endogenous analgesia at different time-points during pregnancy and the peripartum period to help reveal individual s risk for persistent pain.
01:24
Flail Chest-I
0 Views •
2024
Overview of Flail Chest Flail chest is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition characterized by the fracture of three or more adjacent ribs in multiple places. It is most commonly caused by direct impacts and trauma, such as motor vehicle accidents or injuries from a steering wheel impact. It can also occur due to falls in elderly individuals with osteoporosis, or assaults involving sharp objects. Pathophysiology The pathophysiology of flail chest is complex, involving fractures of...
FAQs
The most useful history organizes discomfort by onset, location, quality, duration, triggers, and associated features. Considering these elements together gives clinicians a consistent way to characterize the complaint rather than relying on a single symptom description. This structured history supports comparison with examination findings and test results, helping determine whether urgent evaluation or further investigation is appropriate.
These components provide complementary information rather than serving as isolated checkpoints. Vital signs and physical examination contribute immediate clinical findings, while electrocardiography and targeted testing add focused evidence for distinguishing possible causes. Combining the results allows clinicians to evaluate the patient’s overall presentation, recognize concerning patterns, and guide decisions about urgency and subsequent care.
Chest discomfort can arise from cardiac ischemia as well as pulmonary, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and other causes. Keeping this differential in view reduces the risk of interpreting every presentation through a single diagnostic lens. The assessment therefore links symptom characteristics with examination and testing, helping clinicians prioritize potentially dangerous conditions while still considering explanations that may require different evaluation.
Risk stratification organizes patients according to the urgency suggested by their symptoms, findings, and test results. When the presentation raises concern for acute coronary syndrome or another life-threatening condition, care is prioritized for timely emergency treatment. Patients with lower-risk findings may avoid unnecessary testing, making the process both safety-focused and more efficient.
A practical sequence begins with characterizing onset, location, quality, duration, triggers, and associated features. Clinicians then review vital signs, perform a physical examination, obtain electrocardiography, and select targeted testing based on the presentation. They integrate these findings to distinguish possible causes, determine urgency, document the reasoning, and communicate the plan across care settings.
The approach is useful whenever chest discomfort requires consistent evaluation, including emergency and outpatient settings. In emergency care, it helps identify patients who need rapid attention for conditions such as acute coronary syndrome. In lower-risk outpatient presentations, structured assessment supports appropriate follow-up and helps limit testing that is not justified by the available clinical information.