Chest pain is the second most common reason for Emergency Room visits in this country, and although only 10-15% of patients admitted with chest pain are ultimately diagnosed with an acute coronary syndrome, the majority of patients get admitted. So common, in fact, is this admission diagnosis, that during cardiology rounds the other week, when I asked a resident how the patient was doing, she responded, “Oh fine, we’re just rome-eee-ing him,” (a new twist on the acronym “ROMI” for “Rule out MI”). Sure, on a busy floor, it’s easy enough to deem the “soft” rule-outs as unnecessary. But put yourself in the shoes of the ED docs. GI distress from a bad tuna sandwich can look a lot like the pain of unstable plaque. So how to decide who is safe to go home?
Posted on infosnack.