Key Points: Most missed occlusion MI. Isolated posterior occlusion MI is frequently missed because the standard 12-lead ECG often lacks ST elevation. Instead, posterior injury appears as reciprocal anterior ST…
Key Points: Takotsubo (stress) cardiomyopathy is a transient, non-ischemic LV dysfunction—classically apical ballooning with basal hyperkinesis—often after emotional or physical stress. Presentation mimics occlusion MI (chest pain, ECG changes, elevated…
Key Points: ACS is dynamic. Coronary arteries can occlude, partially reperfuse, and re-occlude over minutes to hours, and the ECG can show these shifts before biomarkers do. The earliest actionable…
Key Points Reperfusion after fibrinolysis is a bedside diagnosis using a bundle of findings: symptoms, ECG trend, and hemodynamic/electrical stability. Best ECG marker of successful fibrinolysis: at least 50% ST-segment…
Key Points Reperfusion and re-occlusion can occur spontaneously or after therapy. The ECG often reflects these changes earlier than symptoms. Most useful bedside ECG marker of reperfusion is ST-segment resolution…
Key Points STEMI criteria alone miss some acute coronary occlusions, so look for subtle “occlusion clues,” not just traditional STEMI criteria cutoffs. Minor ST elevation under 1 mm paired with…
Key Points: ACS is a clinical syndrome: classified by ischemic symptoms + ECG + troponin. ACS exists on a continuum of unstable angina, NSTEMI, STEMI, and patients can evolve between…
Key Points: Do not reflexively label ST depression in V1–V4 as “anterior ischemia/NSTEMI.” In ACS symptoms, posterior OMI is a major concern when the depression is most prominent in V1–V3…
Key Points: STEMI Equivalent: The de Winter ECG pattern is an uncommon STEMI equivalent indicative of an unstable proximal occlusion of the LAD (left anterior descending coronary artery). Treat the…
Key Points: Pseudo-Wellens waves are anterior T-wave patterns that mimic the biphasic or deeply inverted T waves of true Wellens syndrome but are caused by non-LAD, non-ischemic physiology. These normal-variant…
Key Points: Clinical diagnosis, not an ECG pattern alone. Wellens syndrome requires the characteristic ECG findings plus the appropriate clinical scenario. Morphology alone is insufficient and high-risk if misapplied. Critical…
Key Points: Clinical diagnosis, not an ECG pattern alone. Wellens syndrome requires the characteristic ECG findings plus the appropriate clinical scenario. Morphology alone is insufficient and high-risk if misapplied. Critical…
Key Points: High-risk STEMI morphology caused by fusion of the terminal QRS, J point, ST segment, and T wave into a single “triangular” deflection. Often massive apparent STE with loss…
Key Points: Normal T Wave in V1: The normal ECG typically shows a flat or inverted T wave in lead V1 in sinus rhythm. An upright T wave in V1 can…
Key Points SCAD Definition: A spontaneous, non-atherosclerotic tear in the coronary artery wall, often affecting young, otherwise low-risk women (including peripartum patients). SCAD presents similarly to ACS and is an…
Key Points Normal expectation: In V1, the S wave is typically larger than the R wave. A tall or dominant R wave (R/S > 1) is abnormal and should prompt…
Key Points Normal expectation: In aVR, the QRS is usually negative (deep S wave). A dominant or tall R wave (R > S) is abnormal and should prompt investigation. Mechanism:…
Key Points: Complexity of ACS: Arteries can spontaneously reperfuse or re-occlude. Understanding early ECG patterns of early acute ischemia can help detect dynamic changes and prompt rapid interventions. ECG Pattern…
Key Points: The reference for ST-segment shift is the J point relative to an isoelectric baseline. The two candidates for that baseline are the TP segment and the PR segment….
Key Points: Not all ST elevation is ischemia. The most common mimics at the point of care are atrial activity riding on the ST segment, motion or lead artifact, early…