Atypical chest pain in the elderly.
It has been shown that the elderly, and certain other groups, may have atypical clinical presentations of acute MI. It is important for the clinician to educate patients about the common atypical symptoms that may be experienced with an MI, such as dyspnea, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and syncope. The clinician must always rule out acute MI in any patient who presents with these symptoms, or who presents with falls, sudden weakness, or worsening CHF. In order to treat patients aggressively and with the greatest benefit (i.e. thrombolytics or other reperfusion therapy), we must teach our patients and ourselves to recognize "silent" MIs. This will decrease the morbidity and mortality rates of acute MI in the elderly.
Nowak
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D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D013997:Time Factors