A 48-year-old female with a past medical history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia and no past surgical history presented to the ED with constant, sharp, and burning epigastric pain. The pain started two weeks ago and was initially intermittent, centered in the epigastric region. Over the past day or so, the pain worsened and began traveling to the right side of her chest and around to the back. The pain was daily, usually after meals, and made worse by fatty foods. The patient felt slightly better after taking antacids. She reported the pain was 8/10 at worst, typically lasting several hours at this intensity, and receded to 3/10 at its best. She had some nausea but no vomiting. She denied changes in stool consistency/frequency or dark or bloody stools. She denied chest pain, sweating, or palpitations. She reported a subjective fever last night and into this morning, but no chills or change in weight. She had been compliant with her home medications.
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