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. 2008 Jun;16(6):191-6.
doi: 10.1007/BF03086144.

Chest pain in the emergency room: value of the HEART score

A J Six  1 , B E Backus, J C Kelder
Affiliations

Chest pain in the emergency room: value of the HEART score

A J Six et al. Neth Heart J. 2008 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Chest pain is one of the most common causes of presentation to the emergency room. The diagnosis of non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome typically causes uncertainty. Classical considerations for risk stratification are History, ECG, Age, Risk factors and Troponin (HEART). Each can be scored with zero, one or two points, depending on the extent of the abnormality. The HEART score is the sum of these five considerations. Methods. Clinical data from 122 patients referred to the emergency room for chest pain were analysed. The predictive value of the HEART score for reaching an endpoint was evaluated in 120/122 patients.

Results: Twenty-nine patients reached one or more endpoints: an acute myocardial infarction was diagnosed in 16 patients, 20 underwent revascularisation and two died. The HEART score in the patients with and without an endpoint was 6.51+/-1.84 and 3.71+/-1.83 (p<0.0001) respectively. A HEART score of 0-3 points holds a risk of 2.5% for an endpoint and supports an immediate discharge. With a risk of 20.3%, a HEART score of 4-6 points implies admission for clinical observation. A HEART score >/=7points, with a risk of 72.7%, supports early invasive strategies.

Conclusion: The HEART score facilitates accurate diagnostic and therapeutic choices. The HEART score is an easy, quick and reliable predictor of outcome in chest pain patients. (Neth Heart J 2008;16:191-6.).

Keywords: acute coronary syndrome; chest pain; emergency room.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Acute myocardial infarction, PCI and CABG free survival.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentages of patients in each HEART score in groups with and without the combined endpoint of AMI, revascularisation or death.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Chances of reaching the combined endpoint in each HEART category.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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