RESUMEN
Background: In large series, nearly 60 percent of admissions for suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) had a non-coronary etiology of the pain. However, short term mortality of non recognized ACS patients, mistakenly discharged from the emergency room is at least twice greater than the expected if they would had been admitted. The concept of a chest pain unit (CPU) is a methodological approach developed to address these issues. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of a CPU in the emergency room of a general hospital for evaluation of acute chest pain. Material and Methods: Prospective study of patients with chest pain admitted in the CPU. After a clinical, electrocardiographic and laboratory evaluation with cardiac injury serum markers, patients were stratified in three risk groups, based on the likelihood of ACS of the American Heart Association. High probability patients were admitted to the Coronary Unit (CU) for treatment. Moderate probability patients remained in the CPU for further evaluation and low probability patients were discharged with telephonic follow-up. Results: Of 407 patients, 35, 30 and 35 percent were stratified as high, intermediate and low probability ACS, respectively. Among patients admitted with high probability, 73 percent had a confirmed ACS diagnosis. Among intermediate probability patients, 86 percent were discharged after an evaluation in the CPU without adverse events in the follow-up. Conclusion: Structured risk evaluation approach in a CPU improves the management of acute chest pain, identifying high probability patients for fast admission and start of treatment in a CU and allowing safe discharge of low probability ones.