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Chest pain

Causes
Clinical features
Investigations
Therapy
Prognosis
Investigations

For patients with possible coronary artery disease, but no clear evidence, consider 
  • exercise ECG
  • Look for a
    • horizontal or down sloping ST slope and 1 mm or more of depression in any lead b
    • angina during test

Why?

Abnormalities on exercise ECG makes coronary artery disease more likely

Patient Target Disorder and
Reference Standard
Diagnostic Test LR+
(95% CI)
Post-test Probability LR-
(95% CI)
Post-test Probability
probable or definite stable angina a
(pre-test probability: 51%)
coronary artery stenosis
(coronary angiography)
exercise ECG 3.0
(2.3 to 3.9)
76% 0.65
(0.59 to 0.71)
40%
 

Exercise ECG: deepening ST segment depression makes coronary artery disease more likely

Patient b Target Disorder and
Reference Standard
Diagnostic Test LR+
(95% CI)
Post-test Probability
suspected coronary artery disease
(pre-test probability: 51%) 
coronary artery stenosis
(coronary angiography)
Non-sloping ST segment depression exercise ECG ≥ 2.50 mm 39
98%
    2.0 to 2.49 mm 11
92%
    1.5 to 1.99 mm 4.2
81%
    1.0 to 1.49 mm 2.1
69%
    0.5 to 0.99 mm 0.92
49%
    < 0.5 mm 0.23
19%

 

Expiry date: June 2003
Levels of Evidence used in grading these guides

Author   CM   Ball
Reviewer   S   Straus
CAT Writers   CJ   Wotton , CM   Ball , N   Shenker , RS   Phillips