Chest pain in general practice: Frequency, management, and results of encounter
Objective: Chest pain is a common reason for an encounter in general practice. The present investigation was set out to characterize the consultation rate of chest pain, accompanying symptoms, frequency of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, and results of the encounter. Materials and Methods:...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2016-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2016;volume=5;issue=1;spage=61;epage=66;aulast=Frese |
| _version_ | 1818483398504611840 |
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| author | Thomas Frese Jarmila Mahlmeister Maximilian Heitzer Hagen Sandholzer |
| author_facet | Thomas Frese Jarmila Mahlmeister Maximilian Heitzer Hagen Sandholzer |
| author_sort | Thomas Frese |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: Chest pain is a common reason for an encounter in general practice. The present investigation was set out to characterize the consultation rate of chest pain, accompanying symptoms, frequency of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, and results of the encounter. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from randomly selected patients in the German Sδchsische Epidemiologische Studie in der Allgemeinmedizin 2 (SESAM 2) and analyzed from the Dutch Transition Project. Results: Overall, 270 patients from the SESAM 2 study consulted a general practitioner due to chest pain (3% of all consultations). Chest pain was more frequent in people aged over 45 years. The most common diagnostic interventions were physical examination, electrocardiogram at rest and analysis of blood parameters. For the majority of cases, the physicians arranged a follow-up consultation or prescribed drugs. The transition project documented 8117 patients reporting chest pain with a frequency of 44.5/1000 patient years (1.7% of all consultations). Physical examination was also the most common diagnostic intervention, and physician′s advice the most relevant therapeutic one. Conclusion: The most common causes for chest pain were musculoskeletal problems followed by cardiovascular diseases. Ischemic heart disease, psychogenic problems, and respiratory diseases each account for about 10% of the cases. However, acutely dangerous causes are rare in general practice. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T15:41:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cde8ff801fb74366b52557b105ef05ae |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2249-4863 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T15:41:34Z |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-cde8ff801fb74366b52557b105ef05ae2022-12-22T01:43:06ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Family Medicine and Primary Care2249-48632016-01-0151616610.4103/2249-4863.184625Chest pain in general practice: Frequency, management, and results of encounterThomas FreseJarmila MahlmeisterMaximilian HeitzerHagen SandholzerObjective: Chest pain is a common reason for an encounter in general practice. The present investigation was set out to characterize the consultation rate of chest pain, accompanying symptoms, frequency of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, and results of the encounter. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from randomly selected patients in the German Sδchsische Epidemiologische Studie in der Allgemeinmedizin 2 (SESAM 2) and analyzed from the Dutch Transition Project. Results: Overall, 270 patients from the SESAM 2 study consulted a general practitioner due to chest pain (3% of all consultations). Chest pain was more frequent in people aged over 45 years. The most common diagnostic interventions were physical examination, electrocardiogram at rest and analysis of blood parameters. For the majority of cases, the physicians arranged a follow-up consultation or prescribed drugs. The transition project documented 8117 patients reporting chest pain with a frequency of 44.5/1000 patient years (1.7% of all consultations). Physical examination was also the most common diagnostic intervention, and physician′s advice the most relevant therapeutic one. Conclusion: The most common causes for chest pain were musculoskeletal problems followed by cardiovascular diseases. Ischemic heart disease, psychogenic problems, and respiratory diseases each account for about 10% of the cases. However, acutely dangerous causes are rare in general practice.http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2016;volume=5;issue=1;spage=61;epage=66;aulast=FreseChest painfrequencygeneral practicereason for encounter |
| spellingShingle | Thomas Frese Jarmila Mahlmeister Maximilian Heitzer Hagen Sandholzer Chest pain in general practice: Frequency, management, and results of encounter Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care Chest pain frequency general practice reason for encounter |
| title | Chest pain in general practice: Frequency, management, and results of encounter |
| title_full | Chest pain in general practice: Frequency, management, and results of encounter |
| title_fullStr | Chest pain in general practice: Frequency, management, and results of encounter |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chest pain in general practice: Frequency, management, and results of encounter |
| title_short | Chest pain in general practice: Frequency, management, and results of encounter |
| title_sort | chest pain in general practice frequency management and results of encounter |
| topic | Chest pain frequency general practice reason for encounter |
| url | http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2016;volume=5;issue=1;spage=61;epage=66;aulast=Frese |
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