Study on Acute Chest Pain in Norway
Author Information
Author(s): Burman Robert Anders, Zakariassen Erik, Hunskaar Steinar
Primary Institution: National Centre for Emergency Primary Health Care, Uni Health
Hypothesis
What is the epidemiology of patients with acute chest pain in a primary care setting in Norway?
Conclusion
Most patients with acute chest pain were admitted to a hospital for further investigation, but only a quarter were assessed as having a severe illness.
Supporting Evidence
- 5,180 patients were involved in red response situations, of which 21% had chest pain.
- The estimated rate was 5.4 chest pain cases per 1000 inhabitants per year.
- NACA-scores indicated that 26% of the patients were in a life-threatening medical situation.
- Median prehospital response time was 13 minutes.
- 76% of the patients with chest pain were admitted to a hospital for further investigation.
Takeaway
This study looked at people in Norway who called for help because of chest pain. It found that many were not in serious danger, but most still went to the hospital.
Methodology
Data were collected prospectively from three emergency medical communication centres over three months, covering 816,000 inhabitants.
Potential Biases
The study may not include undertriaged patients who were not classified as red response.
Limitations
NACA-scores were assessed retrospectively, which may lower accuracy in registering illness severity.
Participant Demographics
Patients ranged from 4 to 97 years old, with a median age of 65; 56% were male.
Statistical Information
P-Value
< 0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 5.3-5.6
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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