guidelines-chest-pain-FT.pdf

European Heart Journal (2002) 23, 1153–1176 doi:10.1053/euhj.2002.3194, available online at on Task Force ReportTask force on the management of chest pain Members: L. Erhardt (Chairman), J. Herlitz (Secretary), L. Bossaert, M. Halinen, M. Keltai, R. Koster, C. Marcassa, T. Quinn and H. van WeertContents Preamble Scope of the document Epidemiology Symptoms and clinical findings Diagnostic tests in acute chest pain The electrocardiogram Biochemical markers Imaging techniques Clinical decision making The five doors and the fast track The first: the patient The second: the general practitioner The third: the dispatch centre The fourth: the ambulance The fifth: the hospital Quality assessmentManuscript submitted 28 January 2002, and accepted 11 February 2002. Correspondence: Leif Erhardt, MD, PhD, FESC (chairman), Department of Cardiology, Malmo? University Hospital, SE-205 02 Malmo?, Sweden.Preamble The Task Force on the management of chest pain was created by the committee for Scientific and Clinical Initiatives on 28 June 1997 after formal approval by the Board of the European Society of Cardiology. The document was circulated to the members of the Committee for Scientific and Clinical Initiatives, to the members of the Board and to the following reviewers: J. Adgey, C. Blomstro?m-Lundqvist, R. Erbel, W. Klein, J. L. Lopez-Sendon, L. Ryde?n, M. L. Simoons, C. Stefanadis, M. Tendera, K. Thygesen. After further revision it was submitted for approval to the Committee for Practise Guidelines and Policy Conferences. The Task Force Report was supported financially in its entirety by The European Society of Cardiology and was developed without any involvement of the pharmaceutical industry.0195-668X/02/$35.00  2002 Published byThe Task Force consists of nine members who were all active in the preparation of the document. A review of the literature and position papers was prepared by the members according to their area of expertize, and evidence-grading applied wherever pos