Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 9, 2019

Post by Smith and Meyers Sam Ghali ( [link] ) just asked me (Smith): "Steve, do left main coronary artery *occlusions* (actual ones with transmural ischemia) have ST Depression or ST Elevation in aVR?" All are, however, clearly massive STEMI. This is her ECG: An obvious STEMI, but which artery?

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 20, 2013

This ECG is diagnostic of diffuse subendocardial ischemia. Note that they finally have laid to rest the new or presumably new LBBB as a criteria for STEMI. Also note that they allow ST depression c/w posterior MI to be a STEMI equivalent. We studied this and published the abstract below in 2010. Kurkciyan et al.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 1, 2022

Here is his ECG: There is no clear evidence of OMI or ischemia. This " imbalance of precordial T waves" is not seen very often — and in the “right” clinical setting, has been associated with recent OMI from a LCx culprit artery ( See Manno et al: JACC 1:1213, 1983 — and the July 17, 2013 post by Salim Rezaie in ALiEM ).

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 6, 2019

If it is STEMI, it would have to be RBBB with STEMI. Followup ECG: No Change Absence of evolution is the best evidence against ischemia as the etiology. I was taught that the tell-tale sign of ischemia vs an electrical abnormality was in the hx, i.e. chest pain for the ischemia and potential syncope for brugada.

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Ken Grauer, MD

JULY 22, 2023

Although this " Imbalance " of precordial T waves is not see n very often — in the “right” clinical setting, it has been associated with recent OMI ( O cclusion-based MI ) , most often from a LCx culprit artery ( See Manno et al: JACC 1:1213, 1983 — and the July 17, 2013 post by Salim Rezaie in ALiEM — and ECG Blog #350 ).

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 8, 2023

Code STEMI was activated by the ED physician based on the diagnostic ECG for LAD OMI in ventricular paced rhythm. This was several months after the 2022 ACC Guidelines adding modified Sgarbossa criteria as a STEMI equivalent in ventricular paced rhythm). LAFB, atrial flutter, anterolateral STEMI(+) OMI. Limkakeng AT.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 22, 2022

The HEART and EDACS scores are helpful to risk stratify patients with chest pain, but they hinge on accurate ECG interpretation: a low score doesn’t apply if the ECG shows STEMI(+)OMI, and shouldn’t be used for STEMI(-)OMI or OMI reperfusion either 2. Int J Cardiol 2013 2. Backus BE, Six AJ, Kelder JC, et al.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

FEBRUARY 10, 2022

While this ECG is negative for “posterior STEMI”, the resolution of anterior ST depression (accompanied by the troponin elevation) confirms posterior OMI with spontaneous reperfusion. The second opportunity to make the diagnosis and expedite angiography was missed because the ECG never met STEMI criteria and continued to be labeled ‘normal.’

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Ken Grauer, MD

APRIL 29, 2023

The overall ST-T wave appearance in this lead looks more like LV “strain” than ischemia. This blog post reviews the basics for predicting the " C ulprit" A rtery — as well as the importance of the term, " O MI" ( = O cclusion-based MI ) as an improvement from the outdated STEMI paradigm.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 22, 2023

A prior ECG from 1 month ago was available: The presentation ECG was interpreted as STEMI and the patient was transferred emergently to the nearest PCI center. BOTTOM Line: It can at times be extremely challenging to distinguish between anterior ST elevation from a benign Brugada Phenocopy pattern vs an acute anteroseptal STEMI.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 30, 2019

2) The STE in V1 and V2 has an R'-wave and downsloping ST segments, very atypical for STEMI. Cardiology was consulted and they agreed that the EKG had an atypical morphology for STEMI and did not activate the cath lab. Smith comment: 1) Brugada ECG may have ST shifts in limb leads as well as precordial leads. Bicarb 20, Lactate 4.2,

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 5, 2022

Despite the clinical context, Cardiology was consulted due to concerns for a "STEMI". Hyperkalemia mimics STEMI and OMI in many distributions, but probably the most common is the Brugada morphology in V1-V2 which mimics anterior OMI for those who cannot recognize the Brugada pattern. Limb lead reversal can be easily recognized.

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EMS 12-Lead

APRIL 2, 2022

Figure 1-1 My colleague, a faithful student of ECG interpretation, handed me the tracing and said that it warranted STEMI activation because of apparent terminal QRS distortion (TQRSD) in V2. ASA 324mg was administered while a STEMI activation was simultaneously transmitted to the nearest PCI center. Attached is the first ECG.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 9, 2025

Smith : I recognize this as a STEMI mimic. Doesn't this necessarily mean that he was having ischemia? Although this is not a common phenomenon You will see it on occasion ( See the June 30, 2023 post the November 27, 2023 post and the July 24, 2013 post in Dr. Smith's ECG Blog ). I was not alarmed.

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Ken Grauer, MD

MARCH 8, 2025

PEARL # 3: Knowing there is an acute inferior STEMI I looked next to see if there is also acute posterior involvement ( which so often accompanies inferior MI ). But larger-than-expected Q waves in each of the inferior leads ( especially in lead III ) are probably the result of this patients ongoing acute inferior STEMI.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

50% of LAD STEMI have Q-waves by one hour. Smith : In limb leads, the ST vector is towards lead II (STE lead II STE lead III, which is more likely with pericarditis than with STEMI). There were no other causes of dyspnea apparent and thus we can assume that myocardial ischemia started 6 days prior. See Raitt et al.:

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 8, 2025

It is possible there is microvascular dysfunction producing residual transmural ischemia. But this is most common when there is prolonged ischemia, and this patient had the fastest reperfusion imaginable! There was indication of parasympathetic overdrive ( the acute inferior STEMI with profound bradycardia and junctional escape ).

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