Cardiac CT Angiography Alone for Assessing Low-Risk Chest Pain

No cardiac deaths or MIs occurred within 30 days in patients with low-risk chest pain who were discharged home on the basis of negative CCTA results alone.

Evaluation of emergency department patients with chest pain who are considered to be at low risk for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) has evolved significantly in recent years, yet most protocols include serial cardiac biomarker measurements and electrocardiograms and, depending on availability, provocative testing. To date, no reliable strategy exists for identifying patients who might be discharged from the ED without undergoing this prolonged sequence of tests.

Cardiac computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) results correlate highly with cardiac catheterization findings related to coronary artery stenosis. To assess whether CCTA alone is sufficient for identifying patients who can be discharged from the ED without further testing, researche…

Reviewing Author

Richard D. Zane, MD, FAAEM

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Richard D. Zane, MD, FAAEM

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose