Cardiovascular & Respiratory Emergencies

For chest pain, differentiate stable angina (relieved by rest/nitroglycerin, lasts minutes) from an MI (unrelieved by rest or nitroglycerin, may radiate to the jaw/arm/back, accompanied by diaphoresis and nausea) — an MI is a "recognize and act immediately" scenario: call for help, obtain a 12-lead ECG, administer oxygen/aspirin/nitroglycerin/morphine per protocol (commonly remembered as MONA, though oxygen is now only given if the patient is hypoxic).