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Tachycardia must make you doubt an ACS or STEMI diagnosis; put it all in clinical context

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

He was rushed by residents into our critical care room with a diagnosis of STEMI, and they handed me this ECG: There is sinus tachycardia with ST elevation in II, III, and aVF, as well as V4-V6. At first glance, it seems the patient is having a STEMI. Then ACS (STEMI) might be primary; this might be cardiogenic shock.

STEMI 52
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An elderly male with shortness of breath

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

Smith : there is some minimal ST elevation in V2-V6, but does not meet STEMI criteria. Transient STEMI has been studied and many of these patients will re-occlude in the middle of the night. Is it normal STE? The computer thinks so, and the physician thinks that is quite possible. However , there is terminal QRS distortion in lead V3.

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A prehospital ECG in a patient with chest pain. The paramedics tell me it is normal.

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

I took the patient to the critical care area and questioned him more on the way. Another ECG was recorded while awaiting the cath team: Now there is STEMI Let's look at that first (prehospital ECG) again: Very subtle! The pain had been intermittent until an hour before arrival, when he called 911. We activated the cath lab.

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A 50-something with chest pain.

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

He reports that this chest pain feels different than prior chest pain when he had his STEMI/OMI, but is unable to further describe chest pain. Sensitivity was 87% for OMI in our validation study (it was 34% for STEMI criteria). He reports feeling nauseated with emesis. The Queen was not used in real time. Even the Queen can be wrong.

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30-something woman with a HEART score of zero, EDACS of 2, computer "Normal" ECG, and initial troponin < Limit of Detection

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

I immediately activated the critical care team and walked the patient to the critical care area, our "Stabilization Room." This is why it is essential that the OMI/NOMI paradigm replace the STEMI/NonSTEMI paradigm. There are relatively large T-waves in V4-V6. Let's record another one." Learning Points: 1.

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A 40-Something male with a "Seizure," Hypotension, and Bradycardia

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

There is an obvious inferior STEMI, but what else? Besides the obvious inferior STEMI, there is across the precordial leads also, especially in V1. This STE is diagnostic of Right Ventricular STEMI (RV MI). In fact, the STE is widespread, mimicking an anterior STEMI. EKG is pictured below: What do you think?

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What do you think of this ECG?? Is this during pain, or after pain resolution? Also, see the CT image of the heart.

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

There was high suspicion of OMI, so patient was brought to critical care area and another ECG was recorded just 7 minutes later as the pain had diminished to 4/10. Here is the repeat ECG at 52 minutes after arrival to triage: Obvious posterolateral STEMI Angiographic findings: 1. V5 and V6 have hyperacute T-waves.