Chest pain is the second most common chief complaint accounting for more than 6 million
visits annually to emergency departments (EDs) in the United States. 1 The elderly make up
a significant percentage of our population comprising 14.1% of the US population in 2013. 1
This percentage is expected to increase as the United States ages and longevity increases.
Fifteen percent of all ED visits are made by those over 65 years of age. 2 An extensive
differential diagnosis from benign illnesses to life-threatening disorders must be considered …