Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 31, 2023

Cath lab declined as it is not a STEMI." And now this finding is even formally endorsed as a "STEMI equivalent" in the 2022 ACC guidelines!!! Another myocardial wall is sacrificed at the altar of the STEMI/NonSTEMI mindset. Do NOT give it unless you are committed to the cath lab!! Cath attending is aware. It is a mass delusion.

STEMI 80

STEMI Coronary ACS OR 80

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 24, 2018

This is all but diagnostic of STEMI, probably due to wraparound LAD The cath lab was activated. Therefore, this does not meet the definition of myocardial infarction ( 4th Universal Definition of MI ), which requires at least one troponin above the 99% reference range. You can see the deficiency of the definition of MI.

E-9-1-1 52

E-9-1-1 STEMI ACS Coronary 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 15, 2023

Angiogram No obstructive epicardial coronary artery disease Cannot exclude non-ACS causes of troponin elevation including coronary vasospasm, stress cardiomyopathy, microvascular disease, etc. This has resulted in an under-representation of STEMI MINOCA patients in the literature. From Gue at al.

Coronary 104

Coronary E-9-1-1 STEMI ACS 104

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 10, 2023

Post Cath ECG: Obviously completing MI with LVA morphology, and STE that meets STEMI criteria (but pt is still diagnosed as "NSTEMI"). Day 12 ECG: FINAL DIAGNOSIS: "NSTEMI" Despite the fact that his day 4 ECG easily meets STEMI criteria, the patient is diagnosed as NSTEMI. No TIMI flow was listed in the report. Am Heart J.

E-9-1-1 82

E-9-1-1 ACS STEMI Coronary 82

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 10, 2023

This doesn’t meet STEMI criteria so in the current paradigm there’s no urgency to getting an angiogram. The initial ECG suggested either subacute or reperfused inferoposterior occlusion and clearly does not meet traditional STEMI criteria. So now there was ACS + electrical instability, another indication for emergent angiogram.

STEMI 90

STEMI ACS Emergency Department ED 90

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 9, 2024

The receiving emergency physician consulted with interventional cardiology who stated there was no STEMI. Similarly, the OMI paradigm respects ACS as a dynamic process in which ECG changes reflect the phase of myocardial injury and risk stratify which patients may benefit from emergent PCI. Is there STEMI? Leave it alone.

STEMI 88

STEMI Coronary Heart Attack ACS 88

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 19, 2023

This is diagnostic of infero-posterior OMI, but it is falsely negative by STEMI criteria and with falsely negative posterior leads (though they do show mild ST elevation in V4R). But because the patient had no chest pain or shortness of breath, it was not deemed to be from ACS. This is not unusual. Take home 1.

STEMI 86

STEMI ACS OR ALS 86

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 15, 2019

He had multiple cardiovascular risk factors and the EM physician strongly suspected ACS. Over the next few hours, four other general cardiologists "signed off on the initial ECG without recognizing STEMI." Learning Points: STEMI criteria misses 25-40% of OMI, like this case for example. mm of the "required" 1.0

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS OR EMS 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 3, 2023

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. This is diagnostic of ACS; it appears to be a reperfused acute inferior OMI. Sensitivity was 87% for OMI in our validation study (it was 34% for STEMI criteria). So it can miss some OMI.

Defibrillator 134

Defibrillator Coronary STEMI CPR 134

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 1, 2023

This pattern occurs regardless of whether the cause is ACS (decreased supply) or any other cause of decreased supply or increased demand. A "STEMI alert" was called and soon cancelled. You must understand that this pattern does not differentiate ACS from other causes of supply/demand mismatch.

Allergic Reaction 52

Allergic Reaction E-9-1-1 Epinephrine Coronary 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 3, 2023

The ECG was read as "No STEMI" and the patient was treated like an average chest pain patient (despite the fact that a chest pain patient with active pain and active subendocardial ischemia is very high risk). In our opinion it should not be given in ACS unless you are committed to the cath lab.

ACS 87

ACS Coronary ALS CAD 87

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 27, 2021

If it is maximal in V1-V4, and the patient's presentation in consistent with ACS (as this certainly is), then it is DIAGNOSTIC of Occlusion with 90% specificity (We have an upcoming article that proves this). Angiogram: "ACS - Non ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction. Because we are hypnotized the STEMI paradigm. "If

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS Coronary ED 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 8, 2023

Code STEMI was activated by the ED physician based on the diagnostic ECG for LAD OMI in ventricular paced rhythm. This was several months after the 2022 ACC Guidelines adding modified Sgarbossa criteria as a STEMI equivalent in ventricular paced rhythm). LAFB, atrial flutter, anterolateral STEMI(+) OMI. Limkakeng AT.

STEMI 52

STEMI Coronary ED ACS 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 6, 2022

Had the cardiologists followed NSTEMI or transient STEMI guidelines, which recommend non-urgent cath, the patient could have redeveloped an OMI and had a worse outcome. But this foresight will not be recorded, because the patient was diagnosed as "transient STEMI", even though no ECG ever met STEMI criteria. Take home 1.

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS Coronary OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 17, 2023

He had no symptoms of ACS. The Queen of Hearts correctly says: Smith : Why is this ECG which manifests so much ST Elevation NOT a STEMI (even if it were a 60 year old with chest pain)? His HEAR score (before troponin resulted) was documented at 3, with documentation stating "low suspicion for ACS." Physician: "No STEMI."

OR 52

OR STEMI ACS Emergency Department 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 5, 2024

80%) and definitely too much for hour to hour. However, the Definition of MI requires at least one value above the 99th percentile, which for a male is 34 ng/L (16 ng/L for women). Thus, these troponins are very concerning for ACS, and subsequent ones will probably be diagnostic of acute MI. of the time.

ACS 110

ACS ALS OR STEMI 110

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 15, 2023

The cardiologists decided to overrule the STEMI criteria and the cath lab activation was NOT cancelled, and she was taken immediately to the cath lab and found to have an acute thrombotic distal LAD occlusion (TIMI 0). At triage she stated her pain is still persistent, but it is mildly improved compared to when she decided to come to the ED.

ACS 105

ACS ED STEMI OR 105

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 8, 2022

The ECG is diagnostic for acute transmural infarction of the anterior and lateral walls, with LAD OMI being the most likely cause (which has various potential etiologies for the actual cause of the acute coronary artery occlusion, the most common of which is of course type 1 ACS, plaque rupture with thrombotic occlusion).

STEMI 52

STEMI Coronary ACS ED 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 4, 2021

Could this be Septal STEMI (STE in V1 and aVR, with reciprocal ST depression in V4-V6?), In Septal STEMI , transmural ischemia of the septum is recorded by the overlying lead V1 as ST Elevation. Lead III is also on the right and might manifest ST Elevation in Septal STEMI. with ADDED STE in III?

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 19, 2023

Because there was proven thrombus (ACS) but the troponin never went above the 99% reference range (and therefore cannot be called MI -- definition of MI requires rise and/or fall of troponin with at least one value above the 99% reference range), this is UNSTABLE ANGINA with ST Elevation.

E-9-1-1 123

E-9-1-1 Coronary ACS BLS 123

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 17, 2023

Troponin T peaked at 2074 ng/L (very high, typical of OMI/STEMI). 3) RV Failure leads to hypotension but NOT pulmonary edema (unlike LV failure) 4) Repeat ECGs, right sided ECG and bedside echo may be helpful in making a diagnosis of ACS. Lead aVL is definitely not normal. The LV EF was 57% at formal echo.

STEMI 100

STEMI OR ACS ALS 100

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 13, 2020

Here is the EMS ECG: Obviously massive diffuse subendocardial ischemia, with profound STD and STE in aVR Of course this pattern is most often seen from etoliogies other than ACS. Sensitivity of POCUS even for definite wall motion abnormalities is far from perfect. The ECG only tells you there is ischemia, not the etiology of it.

Coronary 52

Coronary ACS EMS ALS 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 26, 2017

This meets "STEMI criteria" However, there is very high voltage, with a very deep S-wave in V2 and tall R-wave in V4. The morphology is not right for STEMI. My interpretation: LVH with secondary ST-T abnormalities, exaggerated by stress, not a STEMI. This is very good evidence that the ST elevation is not due to STEMI.

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS ED Coronary 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 26, 2019

There is definite STE inferior and lateral but it just doesn't look like true positive STE to me. I wouldn't activate the lab for this EKG alone, but if the patient is clinically compatible with ACS you could call a heart alert. If I had known there was no definite chest pain or pressure this would have been slightly more confident.

STEMI 52

STEMI Coronary OR ED 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 1, 2022

There is definite reperfusion. Discharge Diagnosis was STEMI (The STE did not meet "criteria," so "OMI" would be better, but "STEMI" is far better than what this could have been called: NonSTEMI) Quotes from a note written by a really fine and knowledgable physician: "12-lead EKG was obtained initial 1 at time zero.

Overdose 52

Overdose OR Coronary ACS 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 30, 2023

It does not meet STEMI criteria. Obvious STEMI(+) OMI of inferior, posterior, and lateral walls, now with likely 2nd degree heart block type 1 (Wenckebach). Learning Points: We can find OMI on ECG much sooner than STEMI criteria in many cases, and of course many OMIs never meet STEMI criteria at all. Easy for anyone.

E-9-1-1 52

E-9-1-1 STEMI OR ED 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 19, 2019

This morphology can be cause by or associated with cocaine: A Patient with Cocaine Chest Pain and Prehospital Computer interpretation of STEMI This is OMI of the anterior, lateral, and inferior walls until proven otherwise. But it does not meet STEMI criteria and it was not initially recognized. The cath lab was now activated.

STEMI 52

STEMI ED ACS OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

FEBRUARY 14, 2020

This pattern in isolation would signify diffuse supply/demand mismatch without focal complete occlusion, which would be a very large differential of anything causing severe global supply demand mismatch, including ACS and various other processes. Some patients will not progress (or not as quickly) to obvious STEMI, as in this case.

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS OR ED 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 26, 2018

The axiom of "type 1 (ACS, plaque rupture) STEMIs are not tachycardic unless they are in cardiogenic shock" is not applicable outside of sinus rhythm. This case represents the same physiologic event as OMI in terms of the result on the myocardium, therefore with identical ECG features, however there may not be ACS!

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS CAD OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 11, 2019

These findings are very subtle but suspicious for LAD occlusion, as we have seen in many similar (but less difficult) cases on this blog: A man in his sixties with chest pain at midnight with undetectable troponin How long would you like to wait for your Occlusion MI to show a STEMI? Learning Points: Not all OMI will present as STEMIs.

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS CAD ED 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 3, 2018

Smith15, and PERFECT Study Author Group 1 Hennepin County Medical Center, 2 Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation, 3 Background : The Smith-modified Sgarbossa criteria (MSC) are frequently recommended for diagnosing acute coronary occlusion (ACO; STEMI-equivalent) in the setting of ventricular paced rhythm (VPR).

Coronary 52

Coronary STEMI Paramedic ALS 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 28, 2023

Only very slight STE which does not meet STEMI criteria at this time. I am immediately worried that this OMI will not be understood, for many reasons including lack of sufficient STE for STEMI criteria, as well as the common misunderstanding of "no reciprocal findings" which is very common with this particular pattern.

STEMI 52

STEMI ED ACS Coronary 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 24, 2013

Therefore, even with a normal or non-diagnostic ECG, a 50 year old male patient should undergo serial ECGs and troponins and be admitted to a monitored bed until MI or ACS can be ruled out. There is no way to tell the difference between GI etiology of chest pain and MI. This is obviously a very big topic in itself.

CPR 52

CPR ACS Coronary OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

Are Some Cardiologists Really Limited by Strict Adherence to STEMI millimeter criteria? This is the response he got: Interventionist: "No STEMI, no cath. After stabilizing the patient and recording more ECGs, he tried again: Interventionalist: "It isn't a STEMI." It is a STEMI equivalent. We don't know how many though.

STEMI 52

STEMI Defibrillator ED ACS 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 3, 2017

These kinds of cases were excluded from the study as obvious anterior STEMI. --QTc Case 1 Acute anterior STEMI from LAD occlusion, or Benign Early Repolarization (BER)? Appropriately, the physicians repeated the ECG 20 minutes later and it was diagnostic of anterior STEMI. QTc is the computer measurement. 100% LAD occlusion.

STEMI 52

STEMI Coronary OR ALS 52

EMS 12-Lead

APRIL 2, 2022

Figure 1-1 My colleague, a faithful student of ECG interpretation, handed me the tracing and said that it warranted STEMI activation because of apparent terminal QRS distortion (TQRSD) in V2. 1, 2] The most clinically useful definition to account for this entire constellation is intraventricular conduction delay.

ALS 130

ALS STEMI Coronary OR 130

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

FEBRUARY 6, 2020

They recorded a prehospital ECG and diagnosed STEMI and activated the cath lab prehospital. Abdominal pain can of course be a symptom of ACS, but it was brief and seemed to have resulted in a vasovagal event. When medics arrived, he denied any chest pain, shortness of breath, or palpitations prior to the syncopal episode.

ACS 52

ACS ED Coronary STEMI 52