Acute central chest pain in the elderly. A review of 296 consecutive hospital admissions during 1976 with particular reference to the possible role of beta-adrenergic blocking agents in inducing substernal pain

Two hundred and ninety-six patients were admitted to geriatric medical beds in Cardiff in 1976 with acute central chest pain. One hundred and eighty-six (63 per cent) had a confirmed acute myocardial infarction. Of the 37 per cent without evidence of cardiac infarction, 32 per cent were on beta-blocking drugs. The possible role of adrenergic blocking agents in producing acute central chest pain is discussed.