Lesson 1Targeted review of systems to differentiate cardiac, pulmonary, GI, musculoskeletal causesYou practice checking body systems to tell heart pain from lung, stomach, or muscle problems, using key questions that narrow causes fast without slowing urgent help.
Cardiac ROS for ischemia and pericarditisPulmonary ROS for PE and pneumothoraxGastrointestinal ROS for reflux and ulcerMusculoskeletal and chest wall questionsPrior similar episodes and chronicityLesson 2Open-ended and presenting complaint questions (onset, character, radiation, severity, duration)Here we show how to start talking openly, use free questions, then ask about start, feel, spread, strength, and length of pain. We stress no bias, good timelines, and true pain grading.
Building rapport and opening the interviewUsing open-ended questions for chest painClarifying onset and temporal patternCharacter, location, and radiation of painSeverity scales and impact on functionLesson 3Associated symptoms (dyspnea, diaphoresis, nausea, syncope, palpitations)You learn to ask step by step about hard breathing, sweating, sick feeling, fainting, and heart flutters, and see how they point to heart attack, heart rhythm issues, or other pains.
Characterizing dyspnea and orthopneaDiaphoresis and autonomic activationNausea, vomiting, and epigastric painSyncope, presyncope, and red flagsPalpitations and arrhythmia cluesLesson 4Social history and substance use (smoking quantity, alcohol, recreational drugs, occupational, recent travel)You learn about smoking amount, drink, street drugs, work, and recent trips. We link these to heart risks, lung clots, and other chest pain reasons.
Quantifying tobacco exposure in pack-yearsAlcohol intake and cardiomyopathy riskCocaine and stimulant-associated ischemiaOccupational and environmental exposuresTravel history and venous thromboembolismLesson 5Family history of premature cardiovascular disease or sudden deathYou find out family details that raise risk, how to ask about early heart disease and sudden passing, and write ages, illnesses, kin clearly with care.
Defining premature cardiovascular diseaseKey questions about sudden cardiac deathDocumenting affected relatives and agesHereditary lipid and cardiomyopathy cluesHandling sensitive family discussionsLesson 6Recent infections, trauma, or surgeries and thromboembolic risk factors (immobility, cancer, estrogen use)You connect recent sickness, injury, or operations to chest pain causes, and spot clot risks like no movement, cancer, woman hormones that warn of lung clots.
Recent respiratory or systemic infectionsChest trauma and musculoskeletal injuryPostoperative and immobilization risksCancer, estrogen, and thrombophilia historyWhen to suspect pulmonary embolismLesson 7Provoking/relieving factors and timing (exertion, position, meals, respiration)We cover how work, body place, food, breath change chest pain. You tell heart squeeze, heart sack swelling, acid back-up, lung lining pain by triggers, ease, day-night patterns.
Exertional angina and demand ischemiaPositional clues to pericardial diseaseMeal-related and reflux-associated painRespiratory and pleuritic pain patternsNocturnal and rest pain red flagsLesson 8Past medical history and cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, prior coronary disease)We go over getting old sickness history and heart risks like high blood pressure, high fat blood, sugar sickness, past heart blockage, and how they change chance and speed needed.
Documenting prior coronary eventsHypertension and end-organ damage historyHyperlipidemia and treatment adherenceDiabetes, kidney disease, and riskOther vascular and stroke historyLesson 9Medication, allergy, and anticoagulation history (current meds, aspirin/statin use, allergies)Focus on exact drug list, shop-bought pills, blood thinners, fat pills, clot stoppers, and allergies or bad past reactions for sharp chest pain care.
Verifying current prescription medicationsOver-the-counter and herbal productsAntiplatelet, statin, and anticoagulant useClarifying true drug allergies vs side effectsImplications for acute chest pain therapyLesson 10How to document and phrase questions clearly and compassionately for exam reports and handoversWe teach clear question words, no hard terms, keep heart. Practice note structure, key yes-no points, short exam writings, safe pass-ons.
Using patient-centered, nonjudgmental languageStructuring focused chest pain questionsSummarizing key positives and negativesWriting concise exam notes and reportsSafe, structured handover communication
