[Thoracic pain from the cardiologic viewpoint].

Differential diagnosis of chest-pain as seen by the cardiologist consists of a broad spectrum from pericarditis, mitral valve prolaps to dissecting aneurysm which requires an urgent treatment. The main interest however concentrates on coronary heart disease which threatens the life of a patient with sudden death. Proper treatment in time--medically or surgically--is of greatest importance. Especially the anamnesis as obtained by proper questioning the patient gives the best results and leads to further investigations. The doctor's interrogation plays the most important role even in times of great apparative and technical equipment. This disease requires engagement and time-spending at the doctor's is of utmost importance. In dubious cases the decision for invasive investigations should be made early since the risk of a misdiagnosis of coronary heart disease has more severe consequences than that of an invasive diagnostic work-up.