Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 21, 2023

Sent by Magnus Nossen MD, written by Pendell Meyers A man in his 50s, previously healthy, developed acute chest pain. The primary care physician there evaluated this patient and deemed the chest pain to be due to gastrointestinal causes. In this case, the EMS provider was routed to the urgent care facility.

Chest Pain 97

Chest Pain Cardiac Arrest STEMI Defibrillator 97

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 4, 2023

Submitted by Dr. Dennis Cho (@DennisCho), written by Jesse McLaren A 70-year-old with no cardiac history presented with 2 hours of chest pain radiating to the neck, associated with shortness of breath. Acute Q waves are a marker of severe ischemia and a predictor for delayed reperfusion. OMI or STEMI? What do you think?

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain STEMI Ischemia Document 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 9, 2024

Written by Colin Jenkins and Nhu-Nguyen Le with edits by Willy Frick and by Smith A 46-year-old male presented to the emergency department with 2 days of heavy substernal chest pain and nausea. The patient continued having chest pain. Is there STEMI? Fortunately the patient was then taken for angiography.

Chest Pain 84

Chest Pain Arrhythmia Myocardial Infarction STEMI 84

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 19, 2023

Written by Kaley El-Arab MD, edits by Pendell Meyers and Stephen Smith A 61-year-old male with hypertension and hyperlipidemia presented to the emergency department for chest tightness radiating to the back of his neck that has been intermittent for the past day or two. Here is his triage ECG which was obtained at 20:34 during active pain.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain STEMI Cardiogenic Shock Ischemia 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 30, 2024

All of the patients contacted EMS due to acute onset chest pain. The above ECG is from a 70 something male with chest pain. ECG #2 Case 2 : The above ECG was obtained from a diabetic 45 year old smoker with chest pain. Ischemia often produces a straightening of the ST segment and sometimes upward convexity.

Chest Pain 89

Chest Pain Aortic Myocardial Infarction STEMI 89

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 13, 2024

Click here to sign up for Queen of Hearts Access Case A 58-year-old woman presented to the ED with burning chest pain that started 2-3 hours earlier while sitting on a porch swing. 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.

Chest Pain 89

Chest Pain Document STEMI Defibrillator 89

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 6, 2024

Written by Magnus Nossen with Edits by Grauer and Smith The ECGs in today’s case are from 3 different patients all presenting with new-onset CP ( Chest Pain ). In any case, the ECG is diagnostic of severe ischemia and probably OMI. All ECGs were recorded by EMS, and transferred to a PCI capable center for evaluation.

Chest Pain 85

Chest Pain Ischemia Pericarditis Tachycardia 85

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 22, 2024

Written by Willy Frick A man in his 50s with history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and a 30 pack-year smoking history presented to the ER with 1 hour of acute onset, severe chest pain and diaphoresis. The fact that R waves 2 through 6 are junctional does make ischemia more difficult to interpret -- but not impossible.

Chest Pain 111

Chest Pain STEMI Bradycardia Ischemia 111

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 20, 2024

Written by Pendell Meyers A man in his late 30s with history of hypertension, tobacco use, and obesity presented to the Emergency Department for acute chest pain which started approximately 3 hours prior to arrival, in the setting of a very stressful situation. The pain radiated down both arms, 10/10 in severity.

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Chest Pain STEMI Hypertension Blog 114

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 1, 2023

Shortly after receiving epinephrine, the patient developed new leg cramps and chest pain. The chest pain was described as sharp and radiated to both arms. During active chest pain an ECG was recorded: Meyers ECG interpretation: Sinus tachycardia, normal QRS complex, STD in V2-V6, I, II, III and aVF.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Ischemia Stenosis Tachycardia 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 18, 2023

Written by Jesse McLaren Four patients presented with chest pain. 4,5] We have now formally studied this question: Emergency department Code STEMI patients with initial electrocardiogram labeled ‘normal’ by computer interpretation: a 7-year retrospective review.[6]

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Chest Pain STEMI Electrocardiogram Ischemia 117

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 27, 2023

I knew that, if the patient had presented with chest discomfort, that this ECG is diagnostic of inferior posterior OMI, even though it is not a STEMI. Here is the history: A 40-something male had intermittent chest discomfort until 90 minutes prior to presentation, when it became constant.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Ischemia Myocardial Infarction Blog 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 30, 2023

Written by Pendell Meyers A woman in her 50s presented with acute chest pain and lightheadedness since the past several hours. The STD maximal in V1-V4 is diagnostic of acute transmural posterior wall ischemia, most likely due to posterior OMI. It does not meet STEMI criteria. Subendocardial ischemia does not localize.

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Chest Pain Ischemia STEMI Arrhythmia 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 6, 2023

Submitted and written by Anonymous, edits by Meyers and Smith A 50s-year-old patient with no known cardiac history presented at 0045 with three hours of unrelenting central chest pain. The pain was heavy, radiated to her jaw with an associated headache. Triage VS: 135/65 mmHg, 95 bpm, 94% on room air, 16/min, 98.6 Lupu L, et al.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Ischemia Myocardial Infarction ICU 52

ECG Guru

NOVEMBER 16, 2024

The Patient: Sixty-year-old man with a complaint of severe substernal chest pain. This is acute transmural ischemia, or ST elevation M.I. link] This term replaces "STEMI", as it includes myocarial injury with ST elevation and also with other ECG findings that are classified as "STEMI Equivalents".

Chest Pain 87

Chest Pain Myocardial Infarction STEMI Ischemia 87

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

FEBRUARY 1, 2023

Written by Jesse McLaren, with edits from Smith A 30 year old with a history of diabetes presented with two days of intermittent chest pain and diaphoresis, which recurred two hours prior to presentation. It was signed off by an emergency physician as “STEMI negative” because it did not meet STEMI criteria.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain STEMI Ischemia Stenosis 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

FEBRUARY 6, 2023

Sent by anonymous, written by Pendell Meyers A man in his 60s presented with acute chest pain with diaphoresis. The ECG was incorrectly interpreted as no signs of ischemia. The Importance of the History: As noted above — the onset of chest pain in today's case was acute. His vitals were within normal limits.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Physiology Stents Stent 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 14, 2022

Sent by Drew Williams, written by Pendell Meyers A man in his 50s with history of hypertension was standing at the bus stop when he developed sudden onset severe pressure-like chest pain radiating to his neck and right arm, associated with dyspnea, diaphoresis, and presyncope. Is this Acute Ischemia? When is it anterior STEMI?

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain STEMI Blog Stenosis 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 18, 2024

Here is his ED ECG at triage: Obvious high lateral OMI that does not quite meet STEMI criteria. He was given aspirin and sublingual nitro and the pain resolved. Another ECG was recorded after the nitroglycerine and now without pain: All findings are resolved. This confirms that the pain was ischemia and is now resovled.

Ischemia 115

Ischemia Plaque Stenosis Myocardial Infarction 115

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 31, 2023

A 67 yo f developed chest pain this morning." Cath lab declined as it is not a STEMI." There is probably a trickle of flow which is why there is both subendocardial ischemia (ST depression) and early subepicardial ischemia (hyperacute T-waves). See this case: A man his 50s with chest pain.

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STEMI Chest Pain Myocardial Infarction Ischemia 81

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 9, 2023

No prior exertional complaints of chest pain, dizziness, lightheadedness, or undue shortness of breath. He denied headache or neck pain associated with exertion. 50% of LAD STEMIs do not have reciprocal findings in inferior leads, and many LAD OMIs instead have STE and/or HATWs in inferior leads instead. Pericarditis?

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Aneurysm STEMI Thrombosis 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 20, 2024

A 63 year old man with a history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, prediabetes, and a family history of CAD developed chest pain, shortness of breath, and diaphoresis after consuming a large meal at noon. He called EMS, who arrived on scene about two hours after the onset of pain to find him hypertensive at 220 systolic.

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Chest Pain Blood Pressure Ischemia STEMI 122

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 3, 2024

Written by Pendell Meyers A woman in her 70s had acute chest pain and called EMS. Interpretation : diagnostic of acute anterior OMI with STE less than STEMI criteria in V1-V4, hyperacute T waves in V2-V4, and suspiciously flat isoelectric ST segments in III and aVF suspicious for reciprocal findings. Ongoing OMI.

STEMI 85

STEMI Chest Pain Ischemia Outcomes 85

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 13, 2022

Written by Jesse McLaren, with edits from Smith and Grauer A 60 year old with no past medical history presented with two hours of chest pain radiating to the left arm, with normal vitals. But it doesn’t meet STEMI criteria, and was not identified by the computer or the over-reading cardiologist. What do you think?

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Myocardial Infarction Ischemia STEMI 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 25, 2017

A 20-something male drank heavily of ethanol and used cocaine, then was involved in a stressful verbal altercation, at which time he developed chest pain. 911 was called and the medics recorded this ECG (unfortunately, leads V4-V6 are missing) Due to marked ST Elevation, the computer read was STEMI What do you think?

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain STEMI Cardiac Arrest Ischemia 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 22, 2022

Written by Jesse McLaren, with comments from Smith and Grauer A 60 year old presented with three weeks of intermittent non-exertional chest pain without associated symptoms. A prospective validation of the HEART score for chest pain patients at the emergency department. Backus BE, Six AJ, Kelder JC, et al.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Ischemia Myocardial Infarction Angina 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 23, 2023

Submitted and written by Megan Lieb, DO with edits by Bracey, Smith, Meyers, and Grauer A 50-ish year old man with ICD presented to the emergency department with substernal chest pain for 3 hours prior to arrival. At this time he reported ongoing chest pain and was given aspirin and nitroglycerin. J Am Heart Assoc.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Blog Stenosis Myocardial Infarction 52

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. Code STEMI was activated by the ED physician based on the diagnostic ECG for LAD OMI in ventricular paced rhythm. Limkakeng AT.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Myocardial Infarction STEMI Pacemaker 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 1, 2022

2 days later This is a typical LVH pattern, without ischemia Patient underwent 4 vessel CABG. Upon questioning patient, he denies having any chest pain or chest tightness of any sort. Pericarditis would be even more unlikely in someone without chest pain. Chest pain is squeezing or tight in nature.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Pericarditis Blog 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 6, 2019

The patient presented with chest pain. 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. Only 5-18% of ED patients with chest pain have a myocardial infarction of any kind. Ischemia/infarction.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain STEMI Ischemia Myocardial Infarction 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 5, 2023

The patient has acute chest pain. Here was my answer: "Not ischemia. Any objective, rule-based analysis of this ECG would scream "STEMI" or "OMI". And I recognized this as a STEMI mimic. This was texted to me in real time. What do you think? Maybe HOCM or another form of LVH. I would not activate cath lab.

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Chest Pain STEMI Congenital Heart Disease Heart Disease 52

ECG Cases

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

In EM Cases' first ECG Cases blog we review 7 examples of ECGs of patients presenting to the ED with chest pain, who's ECG were read as normal by the computer. And guess what.they all show acute ischemia!

Ischemia 52

Ischemia Chest Pain Blog STEMI 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 24, 2019

[link] A 30 year-old woman was brought to the ED with chest pain. She had given birth a week ago, and she had similar chest pain during her labor. She attributed the chest pain to anxiety and stress, saying "I'm just an anxious person." This strongly suggests reperfusing RCA ischemia. Lobo et al.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain SCAD STEMI Cardiogenic Shock 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 8, 2019

A previously healthy middle-aged male presented shortly after the acute onset of chest pain very shortly before calling 911. On arrival, he was pain free: What do you think? Jerry Jones commented: "Any ST depression on the ECG of a patient with chest pain credible for ACS represents a reciprocal change until proved otherwise."

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Chest Pain STEMI Plaque Ischemia 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 17, 2019

Chris Mondie of the Newark Beth Israel Emergency Medicine Residency sent this case A 50-something man presented with acute chest pain. It could at least say: "ST Elevation, consistent with normal variant," or "consistent with ischemia or normal variant," or "consistent with early repolarization." mm in men over age 40.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain STEMI Blog Ischemia 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 3, 2017

A 70-year-old man calls 911 after experiencing sudden, severe chest pain. Computer read: "Non-specific ST abnormality, consider anterior subendocardial ischemia" There are very poor R-waves in V1-V4 suggesting old anterior MI. Firstly, subendocardial ischemia does not localize on 12-Lead ECG.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Myocardial Infarction STEMI Ischemia 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 3, 2017

This is another case written by Pendell Meyers (who is helping to edit the blog and has many great recent posts) Case A 45 year old man was driving to work when he experienced acute onset sharp left sided chest pain with paresthesias of the left arm. A repeat ECG was recorded with pain 2/10: Not much change.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain STEMI Defibrillator Stent 52