APPROACH TO THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF CHEST PAIN IN THE EMERGENCY

Abstract

Chest pain is one of the main causes of emergency hospitalizations, with 4 million visits being made annually. The causes of this condition range from muscle contractures to myocardial infarction and non-cardiogenic causes, such as disorders of the digestive tract. The subjectivity of chest pain becomes the main difficulty in the accurate diagnosis and necessary management for the patient. OBJECTIVE: Find ways to optimize the diagnosis of chest pain in emergency care, aiming to cause less cardiogenic damage to patients. METHODOLOGY: The present study consists of a literary review with a bibliographic survey in databases such as PubMed and Scielo. As an inclusion criterion, articles published in the last 16 years (2007 to 2023) that addressed the researched topic and that were available in digital format were considered. RESULTS: In the first consultation, the reception with the patient's risk classification enabled better flexibility, specification of the severity and risk factors that could be aggravating the patient's life. The most important initial exam is the ECG, which must be performed within 10 minutes, together with biomarkers and the history taken, which are important for the patient's differential diagnosis. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: it was noticed that time is very important in the differential diagnosis of chest pain. However, speed is hampered by the subjectivity of patients' pain. Therefore, an adequate approach by healthcare professionals in this situation is necessary, in addition to new studies that can optimize emergency protocols.