The nurse assessing a middle-aged patient experiencing chest pain realizes that presence of what symptom would be most characteristic of an acute myocardial infarction?
1. substernal pressure type pain, radiating down the left arm
2. colic-like epigastric pain
3. sharp, well-localized unilateral chest and left arm pain
4. sharp, burning chest pain moving from place to place
Correct Answer: 1
The cardinal manifestation of ACS is chest pain, usually substernal or epigastric. The pain often radiates to the shoulders, neck, jaw, or arm. Cardiac chest pain is not usually described as colic-like, localized to a defined spot such as the epigastric area, or as a sharp pain. The clinical manifestations of angina pectoris include a sudden onset of discomfort in the chest, jaw, shoulder, back, or arm, aggravated by exertion or emotional stress.
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