Authors: Seth Kligerman Charlie White
Publish Date: 2010/10/02
Volume: 13, Issue: 1, Pages: 6-8
Abstract
Hoffmann U Bamberg F Chae CU et al Coronary computed tomography angiography for early triage of patients with acute chest pain the ROMICAT Rule Out Myocardial Infarction using Computer Assisted Tomography trialJ Am Coll Cardiol 2009 531642–1650Each year at least 6 million patients complaining of chest pain flood emergency departments EDs around the United States 1 Of these only a fraction meet the criteria for acute coronary syndrome ACS 2 Nonetheless a patient coming to the ED for chest pain can often undergo an extensive workup including an electrocardiogram ECG serial troponin measurements a stress test and even an invasive coronary angiogram This evaluation is both timeconsuming and costly many patients require evaluation periods exceeding 24 h and costs to the medical system exceed 11 billion per year 3
Keywords: