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Last reviewed: 21 Mar 2025
Last updated: 25 Jul 2023

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Other diagnostic factors

  • shortness of breath
  • weakness
  • anxiety
  • nausea and vomiting
  • abdominal pain
  • hypertension
  • early morning onset
  • syncope
  • hypotension
  • arrhythmias
  • abnormal heart sounds

Risk factors

  • atherosclerosis (history of angina, myocardial infarction, stroke, transient ischemic attack, peripheral vascular disease)
  • diabetes
  • smoking
  • dyslipidemia
  • family history of premature coronary artery disease (CAD)
  • age >65 years
  • hypertension
  • obesity and metabolic syndrome phenotype
  • physical inactivity
  • cocaine use
  • depression
  • stent thrombosis or restenosis
  • chronic kidney disease
  • surgical procedures (including intraoperative and postoperative periods)
  • sleep apnea

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • ECG
  • cardiac biomarkers
  • echocardiography
  • CBC
  • BUN and serum creatinine
  • electrolytes
  • LFTs
  • blood glucose
  • chest x-ray

Tests to consider

  • lipids
  • brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-pro-BNP)
  • angiography/cardiac catheterization
  • stress testing
  • coronary CT angiography (CCTA)

Treatment algorithm

Contributors

Authors

Mahi L. Ashwath, MD, MBA, FACC, FASE, FSCMR

Director, Cardiac MRI

Clinical Professor of Medicine and Radiology

Division of Cardiology

Department of Internal Medicine

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

University of Iowa Health Care

Iowa

IA

Disclosures

MLA declares that she is a member of the Board of Governors of the American College of Cardiology.

Sanjay Gandhi, MD, MBA, FACC, FAHA, FSCAI

Director, Endovascular Cardiology

Professor of Medicine, Endovascular Cardiology

Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland

OH

Disclosures

SG declares that he is Senior Director of Medical Strategy and Innovation for the US market at Philips. SG is a senior advisor at Emeritus. SG is a voluntary board member of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) National Cardiovascular Data Registry oversight committee, the Chest Pain Myocardial Infarction registry steering committee, and the ACC finance committee.

Acknowledgements

Dr Mahi L. Ashwath and Dr Sanjay Gandhi would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Cody Deen, Dr Sripal Bangalore, Dr Mina Owlia, Dr Thomas Vanhecke, and Dr Dena Krishnan, the previous contributors to this topic.

Disclosures

CSD was previously the Director of Cardiac Rehab for Chatham Hospital, which was financially set up as a consultancy relationship, until 2017. CSD has spoken (unpaid) at the Update in Cardiology and Update in Internal Medicine Conferences at UNC for the last 5 years. CSD has served as the PI for the Dal-GeneE (site now closed) and the ACCELERATE Trials at the University of North Carolina (trial now completed). Each trial required paid travel to an investigator meeting. SB, MO, TV, and DK declare that they have no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Syed Wamique Yusuf, MBBS, FRCPI

Professor of Medicine

Department of Cardiology

University of Texas

MD Anderson Cancer Center

Houston

TX

Disclosures

SWY declares that he has no competing interests.

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