When dyspnea replaces chest pain: Age-dependent symptom profiles in ACS and non-ACS patients undergoing coronary angiography

The authors investigated how age affects symptom presentation in patients undergoing coronary angiography, specifically whether older adults increasingly present with dyspnea instead of the typical chest pain associated with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Their findings reveal a significant shift toward dyspnea-containing presentations with advancing age, occurring in both ACS and non-ACS patients, highlighting the need for careful evaluation of dyspnea as a high-risk symptom in older individuals. This suggests that dyspnea should be recognized as a critical indicator of potential coronary disease, rather than merely an atypical symptom in this demographic.