Key Points: Pericardial effusion is the accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac. ECG may provide clues, but it is not sensitive enough to exclude effusion. Important ECG clues include…
Key Points: Pericardial tamponade is a hemodynamic diagnosis, not just an ECG diagnosis. ECG may show sinus tachycardia, low-voltage QRS, and sometimes electrical alternans, but none are sensitive enough to…
Key Points: Acute pericarditis commonly mimics ACS clinically and on ECG, creating frequent diagnostic uncertainty in acute care. The first priority is excluding occlusion MI. Pericarditis should be considered only…
Key Points: Start by looking for STEMI, not pericarditis. The safest workflow is to actively search for occlusion MI features first, then use pericarditis features as supportive evidence. Reciprocal ST…
Key Points: The ECG can provide early clues to high-risk PE and may identify patients at risk for rapid hemodynamic collapse. Right ventricular strain patterns are the core high-risk markers….
Key Points BRASH is a synergistic spiral: bradycardia, renal failure, therapeutic AV-nodal blockade, shock, and hyperkalemia. The signature clue is disproportionate brady-shock despite only modest potassium elevation. Do not be…
Key Points: Aortic dissection or aneurysm can produce ischemic‑appearing ECGs due to coronary malperfusion, most often right coronary involvement causing inferior changes. Pseudo‑infarction patterns, ST‑deviation, and conduction blocks can occur…