The Impact of Co-Morbidities on Troponin Levels and Clinical Outcomes in Emergency Department Patients Presenting with Chest Pain

Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

2026

Abstract

Chest pain is one of the most common complaints among patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) and frequently indicates underlying cardiac conditions. A sufficient primary assessment includes obtaining a thorough patient and family history, electrocardiogram (EKG), troponin levels, and vital signs. Review of patient and family history is especially important, as many patients presenting with chest pain have one or more co-morbidities such as: coronary artery disease (CAD), pulmonary artery disease (PAD), hyperlipidemia (HLD), hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), stroke, smoking history, obesity, and family history of CAD. Current ongoing research explores differences in clinical outcomes between fourth and fifth generation troponin assays. Both a pre- and post-implementation data set was used to look into the commonality of these risk factors in patients with chest pain. Patient and family history were analyzed to determine the prevalence of each risk factor and their correlation with elevated troponin levels. Additionally, admission rates from the ED were evaluated in relation to the number of co-morbidities. It is projected that patients with a greater number of co-morbidities will demonstrate higher average troponin levels and increased likelihood of hospital admission. Furthermore, it is anticipated that HTN, obesity, and smoking will be the most prevalent risk factors. Understanding these relationships may improve early risk stratification and guide more effective management of chest pain in the ED setting.

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