[Pain characteristics in disease of heart and aorta]

Chest pain or discomfort is one of the cardinal manifestations of thoracic diseases. Fast, accurate diagnosis is essential for patients with angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, aortic dissection, ruptured aortic aneurysms, and pulmonary embolisms, which have a high mortality if not treated immediately. In patients with ischemic heart diseases and aortic dissection, an accurate history and a chest roentgenogram can serve as helpful guides to their diagnosis, and ultrasound, computed tomography, and electrocardiography can establish the diagnosis. It is important to suspect cardiovascular emergencies based on quality, duration, and location of pain as well as the presents of hypotension or hypertension, and to start these conditions as soon as possible. Then it is necessary to assess the degree of cardiovascular disability and, if necessary, to introduce patients to cardiovascular specialists.