Usefulness of chest pain character and location as diagnostic indicators of an acute coronary syndrome.

This study assessed chest pain locations/symptoms among patients who presented with acute chest pain and how these compare with a clinical diagnosis of cardiac or noncardiac chest pain. A cluster analysis was undertaken to determine any pattern in the chest pain locations described by patients. Cluster analysis identified 4 distinct chest pain locations (upper chest, central retrosternal, central chest, and left chest and left arm). There was considerable location/symptom overlap between patients who had cardiac chest pain and those who had noncardiac chest pain.