Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 8, 2022

There is a patient with persistent chest pain and an initial troponin I over 52 ng/L; 52 ng/L has an approximate 70% PPV for acute type I MI in a chest pain patient. Clin Cardiol [Internet] 2022;Available from: [link] ECG 2: 35 minutes after arrival Ongoing OMI. Pain was severe and persistent.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain SCAD STEMI Blog 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 18, 2024

Since the pathologist does not know the original cross-sectional area of the artery or the amount of compensatory enlargement of the artery from evaluation of a single cross section of the artery at a site of stenosis, the degree of luminal narrowing of that segment cannot be determined. These are typical findings at sites of plaque rupture.

Ischemia 122

Ischemia Plaque Stenosis Myocardial Infarction 122

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 8, 2023

Edits by Meyers and Smith A man in his 70s with PMH of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes, CVA, dual-chamber Medtronic pacemaker, presented to the ED for evaluation of acute chest pain. This was several months after the 2022 ACC Guidelines adding modified Sgarbossa criteria as a STEMI equivalent in ventricular paced rhythm).

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Myocardial Infarction STEMI Pacemaker 52

Ken Grauer, MD

FEBRUARY 3, 2024

BUT — Cardiac catheterization done a little later did not reveal any significant stenosis. Despite the absence of significant coronary stenosis on her post-arrest cath — the ECG in Figure-1 is clearly diagnostic of an extensive anterolateral STEMI ( presumably from acute LAD [ L eft A nterior D escending ] coronary artery occlusion).

Blog 164

Blog Cardiac Arrest STEMI Plaque 164

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 15, 2023

Written by Pendell Meyers Both of these cases were sent to me with no information other than adults with acute chest pain. Case 1 An elderly male presented with chest pain. Case 2 A man in his 60s presented with acute chest pain, about 1 hour prior to evaluation: What do you think? We will study this soon.

STEMI 98

STEMI Chest Pain Stenosis Outcomes 98

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 15, 2024

He arrived to the ED by helicopter at 1507, about three hours after the start of his chest pain while chopping wood around noon. He arrived to the ED by ambulance at 1529, only a half hour after the start of his chest pain around 1500 while eating. Angiography revealed a 30% nonobstructive stenosis of the mid LAD.

Chest Pain 116

Chest Pain STEMI Echocardiogram Stents 116

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 10, 2024

Written by Pendell Meyers A man in his early sixties with no significant medical history (including a "negative cardiac workup a few years ago" for unclear indication) called 911 for acute chest pain constantly for the past 5 hours. However, this patient has active chest pain, and thus this this is inferior-posterior OMI.

Chest Pain 108

Chest Pain STEMI Blog Stenosis 108

DAIC

APRIL 1, 2024

Most cases go undiagnosed until the condition advances enough to create symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or fatigue. Valvular heart disease, a condition in which any of the heart’s four valves are damaged or diseased, afflicts 2.5 percent of all Americans and 13 percent of Americans over age 80.

Technology 105

Technology Heart Disease Innovation Ultrasound 105

Coronary Artery Disease Journal

JUNE 13, 2024

Method We discuss a unique case where a patient had headache attacks without chest symptoms, autonomic dysfunction, or triggers. We reviewed English case reports of cardiac cephalalgia from 1982 to 2022 using PubMed ([link] Results A 69-year-old man presented with a sudden headache without triggers or typical symptoms.

Myocardial Infarction 40

Myocardial Infarction Chest Pain Coronary Artery Disease Electrocardiogram 40

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 6, 2023

If you saw this ECG only knowing that it is an acute chest pain patient, what would be your interpretation? However, in the context of the first ECG and the waning chest pain, this is diagnostic of reperfusion. Due to the severity of the pain and the high BP, they obtained an aortic dissection CT.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain STEMI Stenosis Blog 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 30, 2023

A 60 yo with 2 previous inferior (RCA) STEMIs, stented, called 911 for one hour of chest pain. The first hs troponin I returned at 1100 ng/L Angiogram Lesion on 1st Obtuse Marginal : Proximal subsection = 90% stenosis Stented. He had no h/o heart failure. link] Case continued The cath lab was activated rapidly.

STEMI 123

STEMI Heart Failure Stents Stent 123

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 10, 2023

A 34 yo woman with a history of HTN, h/o SVT s/p ablation 2006, and 5 months post-partum presented with intermittent central chest pain and SOB. She had one episode of pain the previous night and two additional episodes early on morning the morning she presented. Deep breaths are painful and symptoms come and go.

Coronary Angiogram 52

Coronary Angiogram Chest Pain Stenosis STEMI 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 15, 2023

A 70-something female with no previous cardiac history presented with acute chest pain. She awoke from sleep last night around 4:45 AM (3 hours prior to arrival) with pain that originated in her mid back. She stated the pain was achy/crampy. Over the course of the next hour, this pain turned into a pressure in her chest.

Coronary Angiogram 109

Coronary Angiogram Plaque Thrombosis STEMI 109

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

This patient, who is a mid 60s female with a history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia and GERD, called 911 because of chest pain. A mid 60s woman with history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and GERD called 911 for chest pain. It is also NOT the clinical scenario of takotsubo (a week of intermittent chest pain).

Plaque 52

Plaque Chest Pain Thrombosis Stenosis 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 17, 2023

The Queen of Hearts correctly says: Smith : Why is this ECG which manifests so much ST Elevation NOT a STEMI (even if it were a 60 year old with chest pain)? Here is the clinical informaton on ECG 2: A man in his 50s presented to the Emergency Department with acute chest pain that started within the past few hours.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain STEMI Document Ischemia 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 16, 2022

This middle aged male with h/o GERD but also h/o stents presented to the ED with chest pain. The initial troponin I returned at 1500 ng/L and another ECG was recorded as the patient complained of 9/10 chest pain at 10 hours after the first Now the T-wave in III is fully upright, suggesting re-occlusion.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Bradycardia Blog Critical Care 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 21, 2024

The patient in today’s case is a previously healthy 40-something male who contacted EMS due to acute onset crushing chest pain. The pain was 10/10 in intensity radiating bilaterally to the shoulders and also to the left arm and neck. Angiography : LMCA — 90-99% osteal stenosis. The below ECG was recorded.

Arrhythmia 131

Arrhythmia Cardiogenic Shock Bradycardia Defibrillator 131

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 12, 2023

Written by Pendell Meyers, edits by Smith Two patients presented with acute chest pain/pressure. Here is the South African Flag sign ( Figure by Ken Grauer — with the original 12-lead from Patient 1 attached below — See his Comment from the April 8, 2022 post in Dr. Smith's ECG Blog for more on this sign ).

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain STEMI Blog Stenosis 52

DAIC

FEBRUARY 29, 2024

24: Joint American College of Cardiology/Journal of the American College of Cardiology Late-Breaking Clinical Trials (Session 402) Saturday, April 6 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Aortic valve 103

Aortic valve Myocardial Infarction Aortic Blood Pressure 103

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 4, 2022

The best course is to wait until the anatomy is defined by angio, then if proceeding to PCI, add Cangrelor (an IV P2Y12 inhibitor) I sent the ECG and clinical information of a 90-year old with chest pain to Dr. McLaren. 2 cases of Aortic Stenosis: Diffuse Subendocardial Ischemia on the ECG. Anything more on history? Left main?

Ischemia 52

Ischemia STEMI Stenosis Chest Pain 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024

Written by Willy Frick A 40 year old woman was at home cooking when she developed chest pain. The cardiologist called this 20% stenosis. Unfortunately, a few hours later the patient complained of recurrent chest pain. She took an oxycodone and called EMS. Her presenting ECG is shown below: ECG 1 What do you think?

Plaque 66

Plaque Stents Stent Chest Pain 66

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

FEBRUARY 12, 2023

There was no chest pain. I’ve reviewed My Take on the ECG diagnosis of RVH on a number of occasions in Dr. Smith’s ECG Blog ( See My Comment at the bottom of the page in the March 6, 2022 and September 1, 2020 posts , to name just 2 ). But today's patient had no chest pain. How Does this Apply to Today’s Case?

Pulmonary 40

Pulmonary Chest Pain Hypertension Tricuspid 40

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 3, 2025

A 69 year old woman with a history of hypertension presented to the emergency department by EMS for evaluation of chest pain and shortness of breath. She awoke in the morning with sharp chest pain which worsened throughout the morning. As her pain worsened, so did her dyspnea. This was written by Hans Helseth.

Tachycardia 74

Tachycardia Pulmonary Chest Pain Stenosis 74

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 9, 2025

A 62 year old man with hyperlipidemia presented to a rural emergency department with 7 hours of 3/10 chest pain. In this case, it is possible that the physicians interpreted the ST depression in anterior leads as subendocardial ischemia of the anterior wall, and the mid LAD stenosis as the culprit of that ischemia.

Ischemia 88

Ischemia Blog STEMI Coronary Angiogram 88

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 27, 2024

This was submitted by a paramedic, Hailey Kennedy A late 50s male called 911 following 2 hours of chest pain that started while working at his desk. He reported the crushing chest pain radiated down his left arm. He presented to the ED for evaluation chest pain. Pain was improved but not gone upon arrival.

STEMI 121

STEMI Chest Pain Myocardial Infarction Aneurysm 121