The value of further investigation in general practice of
patients with an acute onset or ongoing symptoms is
limited, given that a normal ECG cannot exclude a significant
short-term risk of an adverse outcome, and serial
biomarker testing is required to exclude myocardial infarction.
Nevertheless, in all settings, the resting ECG has a
critical role in identifying patients with ST-segment elevation
who require emergency reperfusion therapy. Patients
with suspected ACS and ongoing pain, pain within the past
12 hours that has resolved but with an abnormal ECG, or
other high-risk features (Box 3) should be referred to hospital
as an emergency. Given the release kinetics of troponin, a
single troponin test may have value in assessing patients
with a normal ECG and no high-risk features who present
more than 12 hours after resolution of symptoms suggestive
of ACS. In such cases, appropriate mechanisms must be in
place for prompt review of results and referral to hospital
where necessary. If these facilities are unavailable, patients
should be referred to the ED for same-day chest pain
assessment.