The Rush Outpatient Chest Pain Center is accredited by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. It is the only center of its kind in Chicago to provide patients with a cardiac chest pain evaluation and heart attack risk assessment in a single visit. Learn more about what it means to be a chest pain center.
Bob was climbing a hill when a severe pain in his chest brought him to his knees. When his primary care doctor referred him to a cardiologist, he was told that testing and getting results could take weeks. He opted for the Outpatient Chest Pain Center at Rush.
Patients who visit the Outpatient Chest Pain Center at Rush receive a thorough assessment of their risk factors and overall heart health. Patients first meet with a cardiologist to review their medical history, and then receive multiple heart tests, as appropriate, which may include the following:
Blood work
EKG
Stress echocardiogram
Heart scan
64-slice CT angiogram
Fasting is required for tests. Following the tests, patients meet with the physician that same morning to discuss findings regarding chest pain and receive recommendations to lower the risk of a heart attack.
Symptoms of a heart attack include discomfort or pressure in the center of the chest; pain in the shoulders, neck or arms; and shortness of breath or lightheadedness, with or without chest pain.
If you or someone you are with experiences the symptoms of a heart attack, don't wait longer than a few minutes (no more than 5) before calling for help. Call 9-1-1. Get to a hospital right away.
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