If a 40 year old woman with several risk factors goes to the emergency room for a suspected heart attack, will she automatically be admitted to the hospital for observation regardless of what the initial tests indicate?

She will not automatically be admitted but if the initial work-up is negative for a cardiac event and she is discharged, she should follow up with a cardiologist because she should be closely monitored and likely have additional tests. She may need a stress test, for example, and that may not be done in the initial ER work-up. Good luck!

There are specific protocols and algorithms that may vary among institutions used in the work up of patients with chest pain, main goal is to rule in or out life threatening conditions, such as heart attacks. Cardiac disease remains possible and this is where proper follow up with cardiology and/or primary care doc is critical in order to better define the condition causing the symptoms.

We will admit such patients to a monitored bed despite all testing in the ER being normal if we feel that their symptomatology is highly suspicious for unstable coronary artery disease or an impending myocardial infarction. We may start certain cardiac meds,limit activity& if no evident MI after 48-72hours,we perform a limited stress test before discharge,if OK, but schedule a full test in a week