Chest pain is one of the most common reasons that people seek emergency care. It can result from reduced blood flow to the heart – a heart attack. It can also be a warning sign that a heart attack may occur.

It is critical to quickly determine if patients with chest pain are suffering from a heart attack or other heart problem, are at risk of having a heart attack, or are experiencing chest pain unrelated to their heart health.

It is also important to determine what kind of heart attack a patient may be experiencing. Doctors may use the terms acute myocardial infarction, STEMI and non-STEMI to describe different types of heart attacks. (STEMI means ST-elevation myocardial infarction).

The Chest Pain Program helps doctors determine when patients need immediate evaluation and treatment for chest pain. It also provides guidance in caring for patients who don’t need immediate care, but who may need to be seen by a cardiologist or other medical specialist for follow-up care.

The Minneapolis Heart Institute® at Abbott Northwestern Hospital has developed guidelines and systems to care for all cardiovascular emergencies. These streamlined processes have been applied to caring for patients with chest pain. This is helping hospitals throughout the region provide better care for patients with chest pain.