Normal ECG

A normal ECG significantly reduces the probability of AMI [9,10]. It does not, however, reduce this probability enough to allow confident safe discharge based upon the history and ECG alone [15]. Therefore, patients who present with chest pain, in whom cardiac ischaemia is suspected and who have a normal ECG, should undergo further diagnostic testing (i.e. delayed cardiac markers, exercise testing, etc.) before they can be confidently ascribed to a low risk group.

Pitfall

A normal ECG in a patient with chest pain does not allow safe discharge without further investigation.