CHEST PAIN

Course overview

CHEST PAIN IS A COMMON COMPLAINT AND ENCOMPASSES A BROAD DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS THAT INCLUDES SEVERAL LIFE-THREATENING CAUSES. A WORKUP MUST FOCUS ON RULING OUT SERIOUS PATHOLOGY BEFORE A CLINICIAN CONSIDERS MORE BENIGN CAUSES. COMMON DESCRIPTORS OF VISCERAL PAIN ARE DULL, DEEP, PRESSURE AND SQUEEZING. VISCERAL PAIN ALSO REFERS TO OTHER LOCATIONS AS A RESULT OF THE NERVES COURSING THROUGH SOMATIC NERVE FIBERS AS THEY REACH THE SPINAL CORD. ISCHEMIC HEART PAIN, FOR EXAMPLE, MAY REFER TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT SHOULDER, JAW OR LEFT ARM. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH CHEST PAIN.