Remove Pericarditis Remove STEMI Remove Ultrasound
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"Pericarditis" strikes again

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

mm has been described in normal subjects) Overall impression: In my opinion and experience, this ECG most likely represents a normal baseline ECG, but with a small chance of pericarditis instead. I texted this to Dr. Smith without any information, and this was his reply: "This could be pericarditis but probably is normal variant."

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Transient STEMI, serial ECGs prehospital to hospital, all troponins negative (less than 0.04 ng/ml)

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

This is a 45 yo male who had an inferior STEMI 6 months prior, was found to have severe LAD and left main disease, and was supposed to be set up for CABG a few weeks later, but did not follow up. But it could be anterior STEMI. 40% of anterior STEMI has upward concavity in all of leads V2-V6. is likely anterior STEMI).

STEMI 52
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You Diagnose Pericarditis at your Peril (at the Patient's Peril!)

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

Clinician and EKG machine read of acute pericarditis. While it is true that inferior MI has ST depression in aVL 99% of the time (Bischof and Smith), and that inferolateral ST elevation is the most common distribution for pericarditis, the ST elevation in V3 has "terminal QRS distortion (TQRSD)," (diagnostic of LAD occlusion).

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80-something year old with acute chest pain. 3 visits. Fascinating Ultrasound progression

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

The computer read Anterior STEMI along with RBBB. I would activate the cath lab based on this and the clinical presentation, but I do NOT see any evidence of anterior STEMI The patient arrived in the ED and had this ECG: The T-waves are now less hyperacute, but ST Elevation remains. Here is his prehospital ECG: What do you think?

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Chest Pain and Inferior ST Elevation.

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

PR depression, which suggests pericarditis 4. We also showed that, of 47 cases of pericarditis with ST elevation, none had ST depression in aVL. ) Exclusion criteria were age less than 18, SBP less than 100 mmHg, echocardiogram with EF less than 50%, STEMI, pregnancy, and trauma. Absence of any ST depression in aVL. (

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A young woman in her early 20s with syncope

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

So I immediately left the room to get an ultrasound machine. While calling for some help and arranging to have her transported to our critical care zone, I got this quick ultrasound which confirmed my suspicion: This quick view was all I was able to obtain in the circumstances. Much more classic findings of pericarditis.

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Viral symptoms, then acute chest pain and this ECG. What do you do?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

It could also be due to pericarditis or myocarditis, but I always say that "you diagnose pericarditis at your peril." The clinical presentation is very suggestive of myo-pericarditis. But one should always remember that acute MI is a far more common pathology than myo- or pericarditis. Pericarditis?