Sex and race differences in electrocardiogram use (The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey)

With use of a nationally representative sample of patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain not of traumatic origin, this study examined whether variations exist in performing electrocardiography according to sex, race, and age. Among patients less than or equal to 55 years, but not among older patients, women, either black or white, presenting to the emergency department with chest pain were significantly less likely than men to undergo electrocardiography.