Which item should be noted when evaluating a cardiovascular patient for dental treatment?

• A. History and severity of disease (recent chest pain?)
• B. Favorite color of patient
• C. Type of toothpaste used
• D. Social security number

Answer: (A)

The important concept here is assessing the patient’s cardiovascular status through their history and how active or stable the disease is. Noting the history and severity of the cardiovascular condition, especially whether there has been chest pain recently, is critical because recent chest pain can indicate unstable angina or a recent myocardial event. Dental treatment under stress or with injections that affect heart rate and blood pressure can precipitate ischemia if the heart condition is not stable. If chest pain has occurred recently, the dentist should seek medical clearance and consider postponing or modifying treatment until the patient is evaluated by a cardiologist. If the cardiovascular status is stable and well-controlled with appropriate meds, dental care can proceed with standard precautions. The other options don’t inform cardiovascular risk or treatment planning, so they aren’t relevant to this assessment.