Cardiovascular emergencies

Cardiovascular death remains the number one cause of death in the United States. It causes more deaths than lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases combined [1, 2]. While most of these conditions require specialist care, often in a hospital setting, patients will present with these complaints to their Family Physician, and we must be able to recognize and assess them. Furthermore, Family Physicians will continue to care for these patients as they live with these conditions. Our patients will turn to us for information, second opinions, and advice. This chapter will look at some of these conditions.