The nurse is conducting a health history with a female client who reports upper back and jaw pain. In order to assess the client's risk for a cardiac event, which question should the nurse ask first?

A. "Is the pain worse on exertion?": While this is an important question for assessing cardiac risk, it is secondary to identifying any chest pain. B. "Is the pain worse when you are lying down?": This question is more relevant for assessing musculoskeletal or gastrointestinal issues rather than cardiac risk. C. "Do you have any pain or discomfort in your chest?": Chest pain or discomfort is a primary symptom associated with cardiac events, making this the most critical question to ask first. D. "Do you have cramping pain?": This is not specific enough to determine cardiac risk and is more related to gastrointestinal or muscle-related issues.