Assessing the patient with chest pain, shortness of breath, syncope and palpitations

It is a medical school cliché that 80% of diagnoses can be made through history taking. But remember that clichés are often true for a reason. History taking is a skill that cannot be fully learned through textbooks, but is refined by many hours of practice with patients. The questions below are intended to serve as a guide and platform for a comprehensive history of chest pain. Particular questions are tailored to help to rule specific diagnoses in or out.