Introduction: When diagnosing the causes of acute chest pain, both acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) and other serious conditions should be considered.
Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of limited transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) with an A-F mnemonic in patients with suspected non-ST-segement elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS) and the effect of TTE on therapeutic decisions.
Patients and methods: This retrospective study was conducted at an emergency department for 12 months. The study population consisted of consecutive patients with a preliminary diagnosis of NSTE-ACS. We analyzed demographic data, clinical condition, medical history, electrocardiography, TTE, and the levels of necrotic markers. TTE with the A-F mnemonic was performed within 15 minutes from admission.
Results: A total of 916 consecutive patients were enrolled to the study. The diagnosis of ACS was confirmed in 70.19% of the patients. TTE with the A-F mnemonic revealed regional wall motion abnormalities in 74.03% of the ACS group and significant echocardiographic abnormalities in 2.18% of the ACS group and 55.31% of patients without ACS. On the basis of those findings, 4.69% of the patients underwent invasive treatment other than myocardial revascularization. A comparative analysis revealed that patients with ACS were older, more likely to have ST-segment depression, higher levels of necrotic markers, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction, while patients without ACS had more echocardiographic abnormalities in points B-F according to the A-F scheme.
Conclusions: Limited TTE with the A-F mnemonic should be performed in all patients with suspected NSTE-ACS. It allows to confirm ischemia and detect other life-threatening conditions. TTE with the A-F mnemonic covers a sufficient spectrum of cardiac abnormalities and has a significant effect on therapeutic decision making in patients with suspected NSTE-ACS.