A patient with chest pain poses one of the most complicated diagnostic challenges. The differential diagnosis is extensive and includes several life-threatening, time-critical, must not miss diagnoses. The differential is best remembered anatomically, giving consideration to structures from the skin to the internal organs.

The physician must avoid the cognitive bias of “playing the odds,” favoring the common benign, rather than the uncommon serious, diagnoses.

The initial pivotal points in the evaluation of chest pain are the duration of symptoms and the patient’s vital signs. Patients with normal vital signs and subacute or chronic chest pain usually seek medical attention in primary care setting while those with acute pain and vital sign abnormalities more commonly go to the emergency department.

Maze procedure
For atrial fibrillation

This is really fuckin interesting, read about it

Just look at how crazy this thing is

Signs and symptoms
(Pulmonary edema, and pulmonary hypertension)

More signs & symptoms
(A. Fib)

Some more

When the heart becomes a clot factory

Causes
*Spoiler* rheumatic fever