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. 2009 Feb 3;21(10):725–730. doi: 10.1002/clc.4960211006

Improved risk stratification in unstable angina: Identification of patients at low risk for in‐hospital cardiac events by admission echocardiography

James H Stein 1,✉, Alex Neumann 2, Lynn M Preston 1, Betsy J Vandenberg 1, Joseph E Parrillo 1, James E Calvin 1, Richard H Marcus 1
PMCID: PMC6655600  PMID: 9789692

Abstract

Current protocols for risk stratification of patients with acute chest pain syndromes rely on clinical parameters and are oriented toward identification of patients at high risk for adverse cardiac events; however, this paradigm for risk stratification does not adequately address the observation that adverse cardiac events are relatively uncommon in this population. In an era of cost containment, consideration also should be given to identification of patients at low risk for adverse cardiac events, who may be safely discharged without expensive inpatient hospitalization.

Keywords: unstable angina, chest pain, risk stratification, echocardiography

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