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ECG Findings in Aortic Dissection
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…
Hyperacute T Waves: OMI Pattern
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…
Dysrhythmias in LVAD Patients
Key Points Continuous-flow LVADs can mask shock: patients may talk through VT/VF because pump flow maintains some perfusion. Treat the rhythm, not the appearance. First steps in any unstable LVAD…
Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT)
Key Points Rare, inherited ventricular arrhythmia triggered by adrenergic stress during exertion or emotion. Classically presents in children or adolescents with syncope or cardiac arrest despite a normal resting ECG…
Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy vs STEMI: DDx
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…
Altered Mental Status Emergencies
Key Points Always get a 12-lead ECG in altered or confused patients. The ECG is a great triage and risk stratification tool and can reveal reversible, life-threatening causes when history…
Metabolic Emergencies
Key Points A Simple Yet Powerful Tool: With just a piece of paper and some ink, the ECG can be the earliest clue to life-threatening metabolic disease when labs are…
Artifact vs Ventricular Rhythms: DDx
Key Points Artifact is a common source of misdiagnosis for serious arrhythmias such as polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (PVT), torsades de pointes, or ventricular fibrillation (VF). Always correlate the ECG findings…
Monomorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
Key Points Monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (MMVT) is the most common sustained VT. It shows a single, uniform QRS morphology throughout. Classified as sustained if lasting > 30 seconds or associated…
Inverted U Waves
Key Points Definition: A negative deflection after the T wave (a true U wave) that is ≥0.5 mm deep in a lead where the T wave is upright. Why it…
Artifact vs STEMI: DDx
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…
VT vs SVT with Aberrancy: DDx
Key Points ECG alone cannot reliably distinguish VT from SVT-aberrancy in many cases. Use ECG features to rule in VT, not to exclude it. Default: treat regular WCT as VT…
Bidirectional Ventricular Tachycardia (BiVT)
Key Points BiVT is a regular wide-complex VT with beat-to-beat alternation of QRS axis and/or bundle-branch pattern (often alternating RBBB/LBBB or 180° frontal-plane axis shift). Most common cause is severe…
RV Outflow Tract Tachycardia (RVOT VT)
Key Points Idiopathic monomorphic VT arising from the right ventricular outflow tract. Most patients have no structural heart disease; catecholamine and cAMP-mediated triggers are common. Classic ECG pattern: LBBB morphology…
Hypokalemia Emergencies
Key Points Severe hypokalemia can produce dramatic ECG changes that may be mistaken for acute coronary syndromes. It can also precipitate life-threatening arrhythmias, including torsades de pointes and ventricular tachyarrhythmias…
Fascicular Ventricular Tachycardia (Idiopathic Left Fascicular VT)
Key Points Idiopathic reentrant VT arising within the left Purkinje system, most often the left posterior fascicle. Patients are usually young and lack structural heart disease. Signature ECG: RBBB-like morphology…
Opiate Toxicity
Key Point Opioid overdose causes life-threatening respiratory depression leading to hypoxia, altered mental status, bradycardia, hypotension, and potentially death. While most cardiovascular effects are secondary to hypoxia, methadone toxicity uniquely…
Methamphetamine Toxicity
Key Point Methamphetamine is a powerful sympathomimetic that causes a massive catecholamine surge, it can result in life-threatening cardiovascular and neurologic complications. Toxicity can present with MI, arrhythmias, stroke, hypertensive…
Beta-Blocker and Calcium Channel Blocker Toxicity
Key Point BBs and CCBs are widely prescribed but overdoses can cause life-threatening bradycardia, AV block, hypotension, and shock. Differentiating between them is important, but both require early recognition, aggressive…
Cocaine Toxicity
Key Point Cocaine is a powerful sympathomimetic with profound cardiovascular (CV) effects. Even recreational or first-time use can precipitate life-threatening complications, including myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, arrhythmias, and aortic dissection….
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