A 34 year old man presents with acute chest pain radiating to the left arm associated with diaphoresis. He has hyperlipidemia and a family history of early coronary disease. The…
Key Points: The Barcelona Criteria are ECG criteria proposed to identify acute myocardial infarction in patients with LBBB. Core problem: LBBB causes expected secondary ST-T changes, so standard STEMI millimeter…
Key Points: Aslanger pattern is an OMI pattern that can identify acute inferior occlusion despite not meeting traditional STEMI criteria. The key finding is ST segment elevation isolated to lead…
Key Points: LBBB does not exclude acute coronary occlusion. LBBBs produce abnormal depolarization and expected secondary ST-T changes, which can mask or mimic ischemia. Acute occlusion MI can still be…
Key Points: The first post-ROSC ECG is essential but imperfect. Obtain it immediately, but interpret it in context. Global ischemia, defibrillation, acidosis, hypothermia, vasopressors, artifact, and severe metabolic derangements can…
Key Points: Persistent ST elevation after ROSC remains a guideline-supported indication for emergency coronary angiography. The 2025 ACC/AHA/ACEP/NAEMSP/SCAI ACS guideline recommends emergency angiography for patients after cardiac arrest with suspected…
Key Points: Stable post-arrest patients without ST elevation should not go to reflex immediate cath solely because cardiac arrest occurred. Randomized trials in OHCA patients without ST elevation have not…
Key Points: Pediatric arrest is usually respiratory, hypoxic, or shock-related, not primary coronary occlusion. The ECG still matters because it can reveal reversible metabolic, toxicologic, structural, inflammatory, or inherited electrical…
A 72-year-old man is brought to the ED after a witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Bystander CPR is started quickly, EMS finds a non-shockable rhythm, and ROSC is achieved after one…
Key Points: ECG STAT is designed for point-of-care review, but ECG mastery requires repeated exposure, active interpretation, feedback, assessment, and clinical correlation. Use the ECG Skills curriculum tracks as your…
Key Points: Online ECG resources are best used for repeated case exposure, quick review, and pattern reinforcement. They should complement, not replace, a structured ECG curriculum. ECG STAT is designed…
Key Points: Definition: Sinoatrial, or SA, exit block occurs when the sinus node generates an impulse that fails to conduct into the surrounding atrial tissue. The blocked impulse produces no…
Key Points: Definition: Sinus arrest occurs when the sinus node temporarily fails to generate an impulse. This produces an absence of the expected P wave and its associated QRS complex….
A 44-year-old man with severe cardiomyopathy, an LVAD, chronic amiodarone therapy, and an AICD presents with palpitations. His ECG shows a regular wide-complex tachycardia, but the rate is only 135….
Key Points: RBBB delays right ventricular activation. The left ventricle depolarizes normally through the left bundle, while the right ventricle is activated late by slow myocardial spread. ECG hallmark: QRS…
Key Points: In a patient with ischemic symptoms, new RBBB + LAFB should raise concern for proximal LAD or septal ischemia until proven otherwise, especially if the patient has ongoing…
Key Points: A QRS duration greater than 120 ms reflects delayed or abnormal ventricular depolarization. A wide QRS may be chronic and benign in context, or it may be the…
Key Points: Junctional tachycardia is an uncommon supraventricular tachycardia arising from the AV junction, usually due to enhanced automaticity rather than reentry. It is usually a regular narrow-complex tachycardia, although…
Key Points: Continuous-flow LVADs can mask cardiovascular collapse. Patients may remain awake during sustained VT or even VF because the pump can provide temporary flow. Treat the rhythm and the…
Key Points: Any wide QRS (>90 ms) in an infant or small child is abnormal and should trigger evaluation for VT, sodium-channel blockade, or conduction disease. QTc >450 ms in…