Chest pain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13112/pc.1082Keywords:
CHEST PAIN; PERICARDITIS; CARDIOMYOPATHIES; PNEUMOTHORAXAbstract
Chest pain is a frequent reason why children and adolescents visit physicians. Although most often benign, chest pain is a significant reason for absence from school and avoidance of sports activities. In addition, it causes concern and anxiety both in children and their parents. Etiologically, the most common causes of pain are musculoskeletal, psychogenic, and idiopathic. Up to 6 % of children have a serious or potentially life-threatening disease such as myopericarditis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, aortic dissection, spontaneous pneumothorax, pneumonia, or similar. Distinguishing benign conditions from potentially serious diseases is based on a detailed history and physical examination. Diagnostic tests include electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, echocardiography, blood count, inflammatory reactants, and specific cardiac enzymes such as troponin T or troponin I. This paper presents the most common causes of chest pain, and warning signs of underlying potentially life-threatening conditions, in order to detect those with potentially serious underlying diseases in the easiest possible way and treat them promptly.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Aleksandar Ovuka
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