Consensus Statement for the Management of Patients with Chest Pain;
Consenso Para el Manejo de Pacientes con Dolor Precordial

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According to mortality statistics, cardiovascular disease continues to be the major cause of death in Argentina,followed by tumors and infections.The analysis of cardiovascular mortality, shows that coronary heart disease (CHD), together with heart failure(HF) are the most frequent causes of death in our country.Chest pain is the most common form of presentation of patients with CHD and its proper assessment dependson the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) that without hospitalization and appropriate treatmentis associated with high mortality. On the other hand, the unnecessary hospitalization of a patient withnoncardiac chest pain is risky for the patient and generates high costs to the health system.We consider a Consensus statement is necessary because:- Chest pain is the second most common cause of care in emergency departments.- The prompt classification of patients with chest pain aims mainly to differentiate an ACS from othercauses.- Although 50% of these patients present with a clinical condition suggestive of ACS, this diagnosis is reachedonly in half of the cases.- It represents a medical challenge and an important issue for health systems from an economic point of view.