Evaluation of MINOCA syndrome and HEART score in patients presenting to the emergency department with panic attack and chest pain complaints

Abstract

Background Patients presenting with chest pain may or may not be experiencing a panic attack. Is chest pain caused by a panic attack or myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) syndrome? Aim In this study, we evaluated both MINOCA syndrome and HEART score in patients who presented to the emergency department with panic attacks and chest pain. Method Patients who applied to the emergency department with panic disorder and chest pain complaints were included. Patients who met the MINOCA diagnostic criteria were identified. The study was completed with 143 eligible patients out of a total of 217 patients evaluated. The patients were divided into two groups. The first group was those whose symptoms and test results were consistent with MINOCA. The second group was composed of those whose chest pain was considered non-specific. The HEART score of all patients was calculated. The demographic characteristics, symptoms, and HEART scores were compared between the groups. Results Of the 143 patients evaluated in the study, 62 (43.3%) were male and 81 (56.7%) were female. While the mean HEART score was 4.7 +/- 1.5 in the MINOCA group, it was 2.0 +/- 1.0 in the non-cardiac group, a statistically significant difference. Conclusion Clinicians should pay attention to the patient-s age, gender, number of attacks per week, HEART score, and which symptoms (palpitations, shortness of breath, and fear of death) are present in patients who meet the panic attack diagnostic criteria. Clinicians should be alert to the MINOCA syndrome in panic attack patients.