The Alfred Emergency Short Stay Unit initiated a chest pain protocol for patients presenting with chest pain to risk stratify for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). A 30-day follow-up of patients discharged with low-or-intermediate risk of ACS demonstrated no deaths or ACS.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term safety of the chest pain protocol, a one year follow-up was undertaken.

A questionnaire was designed for the one-year follow-up and it was administered via a telephone interview by emergency nurses to document adverse cardiac events and health care utilisation.

From 297 patients, 224 (75%) were contacted 12 months following discharge. There was one death from stroke (0.4%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01–2.5%) and another from an unknown cause. Five patients had been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (2.2%; 95% CI: 0.7–5.1%), two patients had an acute myocardial infarction (0.9%; 95% CI: 0.03–2.1%) and four were diagnosed with angina (1.8%; 95% CI: 0.9–3.2%). Nearly half (n=103, 46%; 95% CI: 39.5–52.5%) had returned to the emergency department (ED) for various conditions including 42 patients with further chest pain. Ninety-six patients (43%; 95% CI: 39.3–52.7%) had specialist referrals and 124 investigations were performed. Thirty-four patients had cardiology referrals (15%; 95% CI: 10.7–20.5%) and 25 patients had gastroenterology referrals (11%; 95% CI: 7.3–16.0%). Diagnostic cardiac tests were performed on 38 patients: coronary angiography (n=10), 24-hour Holter monitoring (n=17), 24-hour blood pressure (BP) monitoring (n=4), thallium scans (n=5), exercise stress test (n=1) and CT scan (n=1).

Patients had a low risk of adverse events 12 months after discharge but substantial continuing health care utilization was observed. Complete assessment by health care professionals prior to discharge may help mitigate representations.