Retrospective application of the HEAR score on patients evacuated for chest pain: Assessing the utility of point-of-care troponin
Application rétrospective du score HEAR chez les patients évacués pour douleur thoracique : Évaluation de l'utilité de la troponine au point de service
Kapur A, Boutin S, Fox J, Lyster K, Irvine J
Details
ISSN Number: 12037796
Language: English/French
Format: PDF
Pages: 18–23
Content Summary
This study evaluates the utility of point-of-care (PoC) troponin testing in remote nursing outposts in northern Saskatchewan, where patients with chest pain are often evacuated due to limited onsite diagnostic capabilities. By retrospectively applying the HEAR score, a modified version of the HEART score excluding troponin, the study found that 89.4% of patients would require evacuation regardless of PoC troponin results due to a high HEAR score. Only 10.6% of cases had a HEAR score low enough that PoC troponin could potentially alter evacuation decisions. The findings suggest that PoC troponin testing may not significantly reduce evacuations or healthcare costs in these rural settings.