Website maintenance is planned from 8:00 a.m. CDT Saturday, July 27, through 9:00 p.m. CDT Sunday, July 28. Brief disruptions may occur during this time.
Chest pain is a common presenting symptom in pediatrics but is rarely life-threatening, and the vast majority of cases are not cardiac in origin. Therefore, the addition of an echocardiogram only adds diagnostic value in very limited circumstances and increases the cost of care. If the patient has a concerning personal history (exertional chest pain with an abnormal ECG) or family history of sudden or unexplained death or cardiomyopathy or ECG abnormalities, consultation with a pediatric cardiologist is generally recommended prior to obtaining an echocardiogram. Therefore, it is important to obtain a complete personal and family history,* physical examination, and screening ECG, if the treating physician feels that the chest pain is cardiac in nature, prior to proceeding with cardiac consultation and echocardiography. (*Family history should assess specifically for the following types of cardiovascular diseases: connective tissue disorders; cardiomyopathies; arrhythmias, including need for pacemaker or defibrillator implantation; storage diseases; sudden unexplained death; premature cardiovascular disease prior to the age of 50 years.)