BACKGROUND: In large series, nearly 60% of admissions for suspected @entity1187 ( @entity1187 ) had a non-coronary etiology of the @entity158 . However, short term mortality of non recognized @entity1187 @entity1 , mistakenly discharged from the emergency room is at least twice greater than the expected if they would had been admitted. The concept of a @entity662 unit (CPU) is a methodological approach developed to address these issues. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of a CPU in the emergency room of a general hospital for evaluation of acute @entity662 . MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective study of @entity1 with @entity662 admitted in the CPU. After a clinical, electrocardiographic and laboratory evaluation with @entity299 serum markers, @entity1 were stratified in three risk groups, based on the likelihood of @entity1187 of the American Heart Association. High probability @entity1 were admitted to the Coronary Unit (CU) for treatment. Moderate probability @entity1 remained in the CPU for further evaluation and low probability @entity1 were discharged with telephonic follow-up. RESULTS: Of 407 @entity1 , 35, 30 and 35% were stratified as high, intermediate and low probability @entity1187 , respectively. Among @entity1 admitted with high probability, 73% had a confirmed @entity1187 diagnosis. Among intermediate probability @entity1 , 86% were discharged after an evaluation in the CPU without adverse events in the follow-up. CONCLUSION: Structured risk evaluation approach in a CPU improves the management of acute @entity662 , identifying high probability @entity1 for fast admission and start of treatment in a CU and allowing safe discharge of low probability ones.

[ XXXX unit: first experience in Chile].

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity1187 :: ('MESH:D054058', 'Disease') :: ['ACS', 'acute coronary syndrome'] @entity662 :: ('MESH:D002637', 'Disease') :: ['chest pain'] @entity158 :: ('MESH:D010146', 'Disease') :: ['pain'] @entity299 :: ('MESH:D006331', 'Disease') :: ['cardiac injury']
@entity662 :: (MESH:D002637,Disease) :: ['Chest pain']
