Managing acute enigmatic chest pain.

The author comments on the report by Dr. Akbar Panju and associates (see pages 541 to 547 of this issue) on patient outcomes associated with a discharge diagnosis of "chest pain not yet diagnosed." Acute chest pain without evidence of cardiac involvement presents a diagnostic challenge for the clinician, particularly in the present climate of cost containment. Esophageal disorders and psychiatric conditions appear to be the most prevalent causes of noncardiac chest pain. Although screening by means of electrocardiography and cardiac enzyme testing may rule out acute ischemia, and other tests may clearly point to a gastrointestinal cause, it is possible for cardiac and gastrointestinal problems to present simultaneously. Understanding and managing persistent chest pain even after a diagnosis has been made continues to challenge clinicians and researchers, and further progress in this area will depend on multidisciplinary collaboration.