Some patients who come to the emergency department with chest pain and have not had a heart attack, are at an increased risk of having a heart attack in the future. The investigators know this by taking a blood test (troponin) which looks at damage to the patient's heart.
These patients are often sent home from hospital with no information about their risk of heart disease. A patient survey revealed that patients in the emergency department would like to receive more information about heart disease.
In this study the investigators will provide patients who are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease with their troponin value. The investigators will deliver this information within a cardiovascular brief intervention, which is a short conversation with a patient about their health. In a previous study the investigators carried out some interviews with patients to find out how their results should be delivered and what information should be included in a cardiovascular brief intervention. The investigators also asked them the best way to provide patients with this information. The aim of this part of the study it to determine if the new cardiovascular brief intervention helps patients understand their risk and if it results in them making changes to their health.
Patients who present to the Emergency Department with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome
A maximum high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I between 5 ng/L and the sex-specific 99th centile.
Resides in Scotland and has a CHI number
Adults aged 18 and over
Patients with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome during index presentation
Patients who are not able to give informed consent
Patients who do not speak English
Patients who are unable to attend hospital as outpatient to receive the cardiovascular brief intervention