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Abstract 45: Poor Prediction of Stroke Mimics Using Validated Stroke Mimic Scales in a Large Academic Telestroke Network

Stroke Journal

Final diagnosis of cerebral ischemia was made in 662/1043 patients (63.5%) and stroke mimic was diagnosed in 381/1043 patients (36.5%). Detailed chart review was conducted to extract both the variables needed to apply the mimic scales the final diagnosis confirmed by final imaging and discharge diagnosis (cerebral ischemic vs stroke mimic).

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Arrhythmia? Ischemia? Both? Electricity, drugs, lytics, cath lab? You decide.

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

In some cases the ischemia can be seen "through" the flutter waves, whereas in other cases the arrhythmia must be terminated before the ischemia can be clearly distinguished. First , there can simply be diffuse ST depressions (which obligates reciprocal STE in aVR) associated with tachycardia which are not indicative of ischemia.

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Anterior OMI. What does the angiogram show?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

In this patient's case, the RV ischemia manifested as dramatic anterior hyperacute T waves. This degree of STE is a bit atypical for LAD ischemia. Remember that the RV is the most anterior chamber. Here is a transverse image of a CT showing this. A few clues that might have suggested this are: There is marked STE in V1.

STEMI 120
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50 yo with V fib has ROSC, then these 2 successive ECGs: what is the infarct artery?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

This usually represents posterior OMI, but in tachycardia and especially after cardiac arrest, this could simply be demand ischemia, residual subendocardial ischemia due to the low flow state of the cardiac arrest. This rules out subendocardial ischemia and is diagnostic of posterior OMI. V4-5 continue to show STD.

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See this "NSTEMI" go unrecognized for what it really is, how it progresses, and what happens

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

The baseline ECG is basically normal with no ischemia. You can see in the lead-specific analysis that she "sees" the STD in V5, V5, and II, with STE in aVR as signs of "Not OMI", because subendocardial ischemia pattern is not the same as OMI. In my opinion, I think it looks more like subendocardial ischemia.

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Sudden shock with a Nasty looking ECG. What is it?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

When I was shown this ECG, I said it looks like such widespread ischemia that is might be a left main occlusion, or LM ischemia plus circumflex occlusion (high lateral and posterior OMI). There is STE in aVR. Thus, there is high lateral OMI with diffuse ST depression. Moreover, left main occlusion often presents near death.

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The Expert Witness re-visits a chest pain Malpractice case using the Queen of Hearts

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

V1 sits over both the RV and the septum, so transmural ischemia of either one with give OMI pattern in V1 and reciprocal STD in V5 and V6. After being transferred to an academic center, she was taken to the cath lab: Proximal RCA occlusion (causing inferior and RV OMI) Unfortunately, she continued to decline despite aggressive measures.