Epidemiology and Demography of Coronary Artery Disease -- Financial Impact of Acute Coronary Syndromes: The Need for New Care Delivery Models -- Why Have a Chest Pain Unit? -- Pathophysiology and Definition of the Acute Coronary Syndromes -- Emergency Department Presentation -- Risk Stratification: History, Physical, and EKG -- Cardiac Markers: A Chest Pain Center Focus -- Risk Stratification Using Scoring Systems -- Emergency Department Disposition of Patients Presenting with Chest Pain -- Short-Stay Unit Requirements -- Medical Therapy in Patients Managed in a Chest Pain Observation Unit -- Provocative Testing -- Use of Multislice CT and MRI for the Evaluation of Patients with Chest Pain -- Disposition from the Short Stay Unit -- Examples of Patient Discharge Instructions, ACS Rule Out Protocols, and Order Sheets.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) continues to challenge our health care system in the complexity of presentation and the ever increasing number of patients exhibiting signs and symptoms of an acute coronary syndrome. Written by leading experts, Short Stay Management of Chest Pain provides scientific and clinical insights on the management of patients who arrive at the hospital with a presentation consistent with a potential acute coronary syndrome. Focusing on the cardiology aspects of chest pain, Short Stay Management of Chest Pain is a valuable tool for acute care physicians, nurses, and hospital administrators devoted to caring for this population. Short Stay Management of Chest Pain details the remarkable improvements in diagnostic accuracy and improved patient outcomes for patients presenting with suspected acute coronary syndromes.