Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 18, 2023

Written by Jesse McLaren Four patients presented with chest pain. All initial ECGs were labeled ‘normal’ or ‘otherwise normal’ by the computer interpretation, and below are the ECGs with the final cardiology interpretation.

Chest Pain 119

Chest Pain STEMI Electrocardiogram Ischemia 119

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 18, 2022

Submitted and written by Quinton Nannet, MD, peer reviewed by Meyers, Grauer, Smith A woman in her 70s recently diagnosed with COVID was brought in by EMS after she experienced acute onset sharp midsternal chest pain without radiation or dyspnea. Bedside ultrasound is another very important piece. Do you activate the Cath Lab?

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Ischemia Aortic Aortic valve 52

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. I sent this ECG to Dr. Smith, with the only information that it is a 17 year old with chest pain. 24 yo woman with chest pain: Is this STEMI?

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Aneurysm STEMI Thrombosis 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

JUNE 17, 2018

A middle-aged patient with lung cancer had presented to clinic complaining of generalized malaise, cough, and chest pain. Symptoms other than chest pain (malaise, cough in a cancer patient) 2. Inclusion criteria were chest pain, at least 2 serial cTnI in 24 hours, sinus rhythm , and at least 1 ECG.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Pericarditis Tachycardia Myocardial Infarction 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 26, 2024

A 30-something woman with chest pain and h/o pulmonary hypertension due to chronic pulmonary emboli A 30-something with 8 hours of chest pain and an elevated troponin Syncope, Shock, AV block, Large RV, "Anterior" ST Elevation. Chest pain, SOB, Precordial T-wave inversions, and positive troponin.

Chest Pain 71

Chest Pain Embolism Pulmonary Ischemia 71

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 17, 2024

Written by Bobby Nicholson, MD 67 year old male with history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia presented to the Emergency Department via ambulance with midsternal nonradiating chest pain and dyspnea on exertion. Pain improved to 1/10 after EMS administers 324 mg aspirin and the following EKG is obtained at triage.

Chest Pain 137

Chest Pain Embolism Pulmonary Tachycardia 137

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 30, 2023

A 50-something man presented in shock with severe chest pain. Case continued A bedside ultrasound showed diminished LV EF and of course bradycardia. His prehospital ECG was diagnostic of inferior posterior OMI. The patient was in clinical shock with a lactate of 8. He appeared gray in color, with cool skin.

Chest Pain 79

Chest Pain Myocardial Infarction STEMI Cardiogenic Shock 79

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 2, 2021

Submitted by Benjamin Garbus, MD with edits by Bracey, Meyers, and Smith A man in his early 30s presented to the ED with chest pain described as an “explosion" of left chest pressure. Today’s pain lasted around 20 mins, but was severe enough that the patient called EMS. Triage EKG: What do you think?

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Ultrasound STEMI Myocardial Infarction 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 10, 2020

He presented to the ED because he developed sudden severe, sharp, pleuritic (but not positional), substernal and left mid to lower chest pain. Here is the parasternal short axis, performed by a real expert in emergency department point of care cardiac ultrasound: There does not appear to be an anterior wall motion abnormality.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Pericarditis Ultrasound Download 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.

Chest Pain 124

Chest Pain Blood Pressure Ischemia STEMI 124

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 14, 2017

There was apparently no syncope and he had no bony injuries, but he did complain of left sided chest pain. His chest was tender. A bedside cardiac ultrasound was normal. An ECG was recorded: Avinash was understandably confused by this ECG. He wrote: "ECG 1 - shows wide ???IVCD IVCD type rhythm ??

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Congenital Heart Disease Article Congenital 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 13, 2024

Chest Pain – Benign Early Repol or OMI? Written by Destiny Folk, MD, Adam Engberg, MD, and Vitaliy Belyshev MD A man in his early 60s with a past medical history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia presented to the emergency department for evaluation of chest pain.

Chest Pain 107

Chest Pain STEMI Ultrasound Heart Attack 107

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. AI algorithms could further improve care by using data from ultrasounds and other imaging devices to develop a digital twin of each patient.

Technology 105

Technology Heart Disease Innovation Ultrasound 105

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

JUNE 11, 2021

Jesse McLaren (@ECGcases), of Emergency Medicine Cases Reviewed by Pendell Meyers and Steve Smith An 85yo with a history of hypertension developed chest pain and collapsed, and had bystander CPR. On arrival, GCS was 13 and the patient complained of ongoing chest pain. Vitals were HR 58 BP 167/70 R20 sat 96%.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Cardiac Arrest Ischemia Cardiogenic Shock 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 17, 2023

What I had not told him before he made that judgement is that the patient also had ultrasound B-lines of pulmonary edema. Finally, the presentation is dyspnea, not chest pain. What do you think? Ken (below) is appropriately worried about pulmonary embolism from the ECG. Here is my interpretation: There is sinus rhythm with RBBB.

Aneurysm 113

Aneurysm Stents Stent Chest Pain 113

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 Abstract 556.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Ischemia Myocardial Infarction ICU 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 26, 2017

There was no chest pain or SOB at the tim of the ECG: Computerized QTc is 464 ms A previous ECG from 8 years prior was normal. My opinion was that it was not a cath lab case, but I did suggest they do a bedside ultrasound to look for an anterior wall motion abnormality. I had not seen the cardiac ultrasounds at this time.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain STEMI Ultrasound Pulmonary 52

Dr. Sanjay Gupta

DECEMBER 19, 2022

She asked me why I felt she had had a heart attack and I explained to her that she had had chest pains and the blood test indicating damage to the heart was elevated and that was all we needed to say that she had had a heart attack. On the basis of these findings we told her that she had suffered a heart attack.

Heart Attack 40

Heart Attack Heart attacks Blood Clot Chest Pain 40

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 20, 2018

female with HTN, HLD, diabetes, ESRD on dialysis is brought in by EMS with sudden onset, left -sided chest pain for the past four hours. While she was in her bed at home, she had sudden onset of left sided chest pain that radiated to her shoulder. The pain was pleuritic, without nausea or diaphoresis.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Ultrasound Risk Factors Diabetes 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 13, 2019

Written by Pendell Meyers A man in his late 40s with several ACS risk factors presented with a chief complaint of chest pain. Several hours prior to presentation, while driving his truck, he started experiencing new central chest pain, without radiation, aggravating/alleviating factors, or other associated symptoms.

Pericarditis 52

Pericarditis Chest Pain Aortic Aortic valve 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 24, 2013

There is no way to tell the difference between GI etiology of chest pain and MI. Such T-waves are almost always reciprocal to ischemia in the region of aVL (although aVL looks n ormal here) , and in a patient with chest pain are nearly diagnostic of ischemia. An emergency cardiac ultrasound could be very useful.

Cardiac Arrest 52

Cardiac Arrest Myocardial Infarction Chest Pain Ischemia 52

DAIC

FEBRUARY 29, 2024

ET Murphy Ballroom 4 Health 360x Registry: Scalable Workforce for Equitable Access to Point of Care Decentralized Clinical Trials Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease and Risk Factors Among National Football League Alumni and Their Family Members: Results from the Huddle Study Hózhó (Heart Failure Optimization at Home to Improve Outcomes): A Pragmatic (..)

Aortic valve 103

Aortic valve Myocardial Infarction Aortic Blood Pressure 103

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 1, 2023

A man in his mid 60s with history of CAD and stents experienced sudden onset epigastric abdominal pain radiating up into his chest at home, waking him from sleep. He had active chest pain at the time of triage at 0137 at night, with this triage ECG: What do you think? Gallbladder ultrasound was negative for stones.

Stents 127

Stents Stent STEMI Physiology 127

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 13, 2020

A 60-something man presented by EMS with 5 hours of fairly typical sounding substernal chest pain. EMS gave 324 mg aspirin and 3 sublingual NTG, which the patient stated reduced the substernal chest pain from an 8/10 to 4/10. This was a point of care ultrasound, not a bubble contrast echo.

Echocardiogram 52

Echocardiogram Ischemia Chest Pain Blog 52

All About Cardiovascular System and Disorders

APRIL 25, 2024

Inflammation of pericardium as inflammation elsewhere can be painful and cause chest pain. But pericardial effusion can build up slowly without much pain. Pericardial effusion is usually confirmed by an echocardiogram (ultrasound study of the heart).

Pericarditis 40

Pericarditis Cancer Blood Pressure Heart Valves 40

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 6, 2010

He had no previous history of CAD, and presented with very typical waxing and waning chest pain, much worse with exertion but also present at rest and on presentation, though his pain was minimal at the time of the ECG. I saw this 59 year old male 3 weeks ago. Blood pressure was 150/80.

STEMI 52

STEMI Chest Pain Ultrasound Blood Pressure 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 24, 2020

A middle aged man had off and on chest pain for 2 weeks, then 2 hours of more severe and constant pain. Striving to envision what prompt cardiac catheterization is likely to reveal in a patient with acute cardiac chest pain is enticing to the ECG enthusiast, and it does enhance clinical assessment and optimal management.

Ischemia 52

Ischemia Chest Pain Stenosis Cardiogenic Shock 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 27, 2021

A 50-something man with history only of alcohol abuse and hypertension (not on meds) presented with sudden left chest pain, sharp, radiating down left arm, cramping, that waxes and wanes but never goes completely away. A bedside ultrasound was done, with dozens of clips, and was even done with Speckle Tracking.

Myocardial Infarction 52

Myocardial Infarction Ischemia STEMI Pulmonary 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 3, 2017

This is the initial ED ECG of a 46 year old male with chest pain: The QTc was 420 ST Elevation at 60 ms after the J-point in lead V3 = 2.5 ng/ml) A 45 year old male called 911 for chest pain: The QTc was 400 ST Elevation at 60 ms after the J-point in lead V3 = 3.5 100% LAD occlusion. He underwent CABG. QRS V2 = 15.5

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain STEMI Bradycardia Stenosis 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

He had concurrent sharp substernal chest pain that resolved, but palpitations continued. Over past 3 months, he has had similar intermittent episodes of sharp chest pain while running, but none at rest. Pads were placed with ultrasound guidance, so they were in the correct position. However, this is not SVT.

Tachycardia 136

Tachycardia Cardiogenic Shock Angina Coronary Angiogram 136

Dr. Sanjay Gupta

DECEMBER 19, 2022

About 5% of patients who present to A+E with chest pain which is not deemed to be a heart attack or angina are ultimately diagnosed with pericarditis. This is termed a pericardial effusion and I feel that all patients admitted to hospital with pericarditis should have an ultrasound of the heart to look for this possible complication.

Pericarditis 40

Pericarditis Heart Attack Heart attacks Chest Pain 40

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 12, 2013

He had no chest pain. The computer read is: **Acute MI ** The protocol for prehospital activation in the EMS system that this patient presented to requires 2 elements: 1) Chest pain 2) A computer read of **Acute MI ** Only 1 of 2 was present, so there was no prehospital activation. The patient was transported to the ED.

STEMI 52

STEMI Pulmonary Stents Stent 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018

No chest pain. His ED cardiac ultrasound (which is not at all ideal for detecting wall motion abnormalities, and is also very operator dependent for this finding) was significant for depressed global EF. Later on during the night of his admission he had a short episode of chest pain that resolved with sublingual nitroglycerin.

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Myocardial Infarction Cardiac Arrest Ischemia 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 3, 2018

In the evening, a middle-aged man complained of chest pain at the nursing home. His chest pain was vague. He mentioned "cancer" and "chest". Here was his prehospital ECG, which I viewed immediately while the resident performed cardiac ultrasound: What do you think? Fluids were started. Is is sinus?

Chest Pain 52

Chest Pain Tachycardia Atrial Flutter Ultrasound 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 20, 2018

A 40 something woman with a history of hyperlipidemia and additional risk factors including a smoking history presented with substernal chest pain radiating to "both axilla" as well as the upper back. She was reportedly "pacing in her room while holding her chest". The source of this case is anonymous.

Pericarditis 52

Pericarditis Chest Pain Blog Ultrasound 52