Differential Diagnoses

2024 EMS Cases Part IV

A 60-year-old man is being transported by EMS to the emergency department for acute chest pain. The following ECG is transmitted prior to arrival as a “CODE STEMI” and brought…

Navigating a Very Abnormal QRS Axis with a Stepwise Approach

A 44-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with vague complaints about shortness of breath. The following ECG is obtained at triage and brought to you for interpretation:

Concerning chest pain with ST segment depression in the anteroseptal leads (Part 1/2)

A 72-year-old woman with a past medical history of diabetes, coronary artery disease, and heart failure presents to the emergency department with acute onset chest and back pain.  Pain is…

Subtle ECG Changes and Diagnostic Challenges

A 70-year-old male presents to the emergency department with acute chest pain that sounds ischemic in nature. The following baseline ECG, arrival ECG, and repeat ECGs are obtained:

Interesting Cases from UMMC, Part I

A 63-year-old man presents to the emergency department with acute chest pain and an episode of syncope. The following ECG is obtained, and the cath lab is activated for suspected…

Must Know ECGs and Differentials in Patients with Acute Chest Pain or Shortness of Breath

A 63-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department by EMS for chest pain and shortness of breath. The following ECG was obtained:

Differential Diagnoses: ST segment elevation in a patient with altered mental status, a stepwise approach

Differential Diagnoses: what to consider in patients who have isolated syncope and present asymptomatic

Test Yourself

Differential Diagnoses: must know cardiac causes of syncope

Test Yourself

ECG Basics and Fundamentals: things that can go wrong in leads V1 & V2

Test Yourself

Differential Diagnoses: must know causes of right axis deviation and wide QRS complexes

A 30-year-old man is pulled over by police for speeding. He begins feeling nauseous and has multiple episodes of vomiting. During transport to the emergency department by EMS he is…

Differential Diagnoses: poor R wave progression, prolonged QT intervals, and much more

A 53-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with shortness of breath. The following ECG is obtained:

Hyperacute T waves and serial ECGs in early ACS, AV blocks, and more on sustained vs. nonsustained ventricular tachycardia

An 80-year-old man presents to the emergency department after an episode of syncope. The following ECG is obtained:

Differential Diagnoses: the many causes of T wave inversions in the anteroseptal leads and how to differentiate them

A 37-year-old woman presents with sharp musculoskeletal chest pain associated with cough. She reports symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection over the past 2 days. The following ECG is…

Differential Diagnoses: killer causes of T wave inversions that you gotta know!

A 48-year-old man presents to the emergency department with chest pain and shortness of breath. The following ECG is obtained on arrival:

STAT ECG Diagnoses: differential diagnoses for low voltage QRS complexes and ventricular arrhythmias in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs)

An 82-year-old man is brought to the emergency department with confusion and decreased level of consciousness. He is noted to be hypotensive, bradycardic, hypothermic, and hypoglycemic. The following ECG is…

Differential Diagnoses: what you gotta know about regular wide complex tachycardias

A 72-year-old woman is brought into the emergency department by family for confusion. She has a history of abdominal hernia repair with subsequent complications, including an exploratory laparotomy for an…

Differential Diagnoses: AV blocks, tachyarrhythmias, and what you need to look for on the ECG of every patient with syncope

A 36-year-old woman is brought into the emergency department after an episode of syncope. She reports palpitations prior to the episode but is otherwise asymptomatic on arrival. Vital signs are…

Differential Diagnoses: narrow complex irregular tachycardia, short QTc intervals, ST segment elevation in aVR, and so much more!

An 89-year-old woman is brought into the emergency department with generalized weakness and dizziness. She is noted to be bradycardic at triage. The following ECG is obtained with no prior…

Differential DIagnoses: AV blocks, prolonged QTc intervals, T wave inversions, and more!

A 50-year-old woman is brought into the emergency department unresponsive. History is otherwise limited. The following ECG is obtained with no prior ECGs available for comparison.