Assessing Chest Pain: New Red Flags & Risk Factors - Interview with Jennifer Carlquist, PA

In this conversation, Liz Rohr interviews Jennifer Carlquist, a physician assistant with extensive experience in cardiology, who discusses the assessment and management of chest pain.They covered: - Assessing cardiac versus noncardiac chest pain- Assessing risk for MI and when to send patients to the ED or not- What EKG findings to watch out for, and how to learn more to build your ekg reading confidence (and what’s new!)- What we can do for patients to assess and manage heart disease risk, including labs and tests to check in primary care (including the coronary calcium score, LPa, and homocysteine)- How to communicate and collaborate effectively with ER providers- Further resources to learn if you’re in cardiology or interested in making the switch from primary careTakeaways- Consider both cardiac and non-cardiac causes of chest pain, especially in female patients with atypical symptoms.- Take a detailed history, including risk factors and family history, and be aware of red flags that may indicate a more serious condition.- Recognize the limitations of certain diagnostic tests, such as EKGs and troponin levels, and consider a CTA with FFR for outpatient testing.- Collaboration between primary care providers and the ER is crucial, and concise reporting of findings is key to effective communication.- Differentiating between hyperkalemia T-waves and hyperacute T-waves can be challenging, but hyperkalemia T-waves are pointy and hyperacute T-waves are more blunted and broad-based.- Inverted T-waves in leads other than AVR and V1, especially if they are symmetric, can indicate the need for urgent evaluation.- Q-waves can form within an hour of an infarction, and a small Q-wave in lead III without other abnormalities may be a normal finding.- When learning EKG interpretation, it is important to start with understanding what a normal EKG should look like and then focus on high-risk findings.- Inflammation is a significant risk factor for heart disease, and non-traditional risk factors such as psoriasis and early menses should be considered.- Lab tests such as the coronary calcium score, LPa, and homocysteine can provide valuable information in assessing heart disease risk.- Magnesium supplementation can be beneficial for patients with palpitations and hypertension, but the specific type and dose should be tailored to the individual.- Primary care providers play a crucial role in assessing heart disease risk and can collaborate with cardiologists to order appropriate tests and make informed decisions.- The three-day EKG challenge and the Cardiology Fundamentals Mentorship program are valuable resources for learning and advancing in cardiology.- The importance of fostering a supportive and collaborative environment in healthcare to provide the best care for patients.For a full transcript and conversation chapters, visit the blog https://www.realworldnp.com/blog/assessing-chest-pain______________________________© 2024 Real World NP. For educational and informational purposes only, see https://www.realworldnp.com/disclaimer for full details. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.