Who Should Be Admitted to the Chest Pain Observation Unit? One Urban Hospital Experience

摘要

Introduction: Patients at low risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) can be safely treated in the chest pain observation unit (CPOU). The goal of the study is to identify the differences in risk profiles of patients with positive and negative workup. Methods: The study is a retrospective CPOU chart review conducted over 6 months. Data collected included gender, age, race, history of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, family history of CAD, smoking, test results, and disposition. SPSS-12 program was used to analyze the differences in patient's characteristics. Results: Two hundred forty-three patients were admitted to CPOU, 86% completed their workup, and 82% were discharged. Twenty-four (10%) patients had positive stress test, of whom 13 (54%) had =3 risk factors. Conclusion: It is practical to admit patients to the CPOU. The study has shown that "ideal" patients for CPOU are those with <2 risk factors for CAD.