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. She knows the baseline is normal, and she knows the STEMI(-) OMI one is diagnostic of OMI, with the highest possible confidence. We've come a long way in 2 years!

OR 125

OR STEMI Coronary CAD 125

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 14, 2023

Sent by Anonymous, written by Pendell Meyers A man in his 60s with history of CAD and 2 prior stents presented to the ED complaining of acute heavy substernal chest pain that began while eating breakfast about an hour ago, and had been persistent since then, despite EMS administering aspirin and nitroglycerin. Pre-intervention.

CAD 52

CAD ACS STEMI Coronary 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 20, 2023

Since then, I started looking for OMI EKG findings and not just STEMI. So, I'm a follower of your blog, and I think I have a interesting case that I attended yesterday." Remember: these findings above are included as STEMI equivalent findings in the 2022 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway on ACS Patients in the ED.

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS CAD ED 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 19, 2023

Concerning history, known CAD" Recorded 2 hours after pain onset: What do you think? The patient was diagnosed with a"Non-STEMI." Traditionally , Occlusion MI (OMI) myocardial infarctions that are not STEMI are called NonSTEMI. This was my response: "This looks like a worrisome EKG. But by now you must have a repeat ECG.

STEMI 52

STEMI Coronary CAD OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

J Electrocardiol [Internet] 2022;Available from: [link] Cardiology opinion: Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy (EF 30-35%) V Fib Cardiac arrest Prolonged QTC NSTEMI (Smith comment: is it NSTEMI or is it Takotsubo? -- these are entirely different) Moderate single-vessel CAD. I could have told you this (and did tell you this) without an MRI.

Emergency Department 52

Emergency Department E-9-1-1 Coronary STEMI 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 22, 2023

20% of cases that everyone would call a STEMI have a competely open artery by the time of angiogram 60-90 minutes later. PEARL #2: = Aslanger's Pattern: Examples of Aslanger's Pattern appear in a number of cases in Dr. Smith's ECG Blog ( This pattern is very nicely described by Dr. Smith in the January 4, 2021 post).

ED 102

ED Coronary CAD STEMI 102

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 24, 2019

However, a smooth tapering of the mid-RCA was seen, highlighted in red below: How do we explain the MI if no sign of CAD was found? This MI wasn’t caused by a ruptured plaque of CAD - it was a coronary artery dissection of the RCA. A recent study found that SCAD causes almost 20% of STEMI in young women. A study by Hassan et al.

Coronary 52

Coronary CAD ACS STEMI 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 29, 2015

Case history A middle-aged woman with a history of HTN, but no prior CAD, presented to the ED with chest pain. would require the ST/S ratio to be 25% for diagnosis of STEMI in LVH. The physician was concerned about STEMI, but also worried that she was overreacting, with the potential that LVH was producing a "STEMI-mimic."

STEMI 52

STEMI Coronary ALS CAD 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 19, 2020

This is a troponin I level that is almost exclusively seen in STEMI. So this is either a case of MINOCA, or a case of Type II STEMI. If the arrest had another etiology (such as old scar), and the ST elevation is due to severe shock, then it is a type II STEMI. I believe the latter (type II STEMI) is most likely.

Defibrillator 52

Defibrillator CPR Coronary CAD 52

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. This is all suggestive of posterior STEMI, but not definitely diagnostic. I saw this 59 year old male 3 weeks ago.

STEMI 52

STEMI CAD OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 10, 2023

CAD-RADS category 1. --No Later, she developed chest pain again, and had this ECG recorded: Obvious Anterior OMI that is also a STEMI Coronary angiogram- --Right dominant coronary artery system --The left main artery was normal in appearance and free of obstructive disease. --The Transient STEMI is at high risk of re-occlusion.

Coronary 52

Coronary STEMI CAD OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 22, 2023

A prior ECG from 1 month ago was available: The presentation ECG was interpreted as STEMI and the patient was transferred emergently to the nearest PCI center. The patient proceeded to cath where all coronaries were described as normal with no evidence of any CAD, spasm, or any other abnormality. So maybe she is better than I am.

E-9-1-1 70

E-9-1-1 CAD OR STEMI 70

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 9, 2023

No family history of sudden cardiac death, cardiomyopathy, premature CAD, or other cardiac issues. 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. The ECG easily meets STEMI criteria in all leads V2-V6, as well. Pericarditis?

Coronary 52

Coronary STEMI Heart Attack OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 12, 2017

This is diagnostic of inferior MI, though does not meet millimeter criteria for "STEMI." He had a family history of early CAD and occasional drug and tobacco use. He was worried for inferior MI and ordered another, which was recorded 15 minutes later: Now clearly and obviously diagnostic of inferior STEMI.

STEMI 52

STEMI CAD Coronary ALS 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 6, 2019

This is technically a STEMI, with 1.5 However, I think many practitioners might not see this as a clear STEMI, and would instead call this "borderline." They collected several repeat ECGs at the outside hospital before transport: None of these three ECGs meet STEMI criteria. This ECG was recorded on arrival: What do you think?

STEMI 52

STEMI ALS ACS OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 1, 2012

This was a middle aged female with a h/o CAD who presented to the ED by EMS sudden onset of central chest pressure 45 min prior to ED arrival with associated diaphoresis and SOB.  There is LVH and there are ST-T abnormalities (large inferior T-waves and ST elevation, with reciprocal findings in aVL).

STEMI 52

STEMI CAD ED EMS 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 3, 2023

A man in his 70s with past medical history of hypertension, dyslipidemia, CAD s/p left circumflex stent 2 years prior presented to the ED with worsening intermittent exertional chest pain relieved by rest. Written by Nathanael Franks MD, reviewed by Meyers, Smith, Grauer, etc.

ACS 82

ACS Coronary ALS CAD 82

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 10, 2022

As in all ischemia interpretations with OMI findings, the findings can be due to type 1 AMI (example: acute coronary plaque rupture and thrombosis) or type 2 AMI (with or without fixed CAD, with severe regional supply/demand mismatch essentially equaling zero blood flow). He had multiple cardiac arrests with ROSC regained each time.

ACS 52

ACS CPR CAD Heart Attack 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 9, 2019

When total LM occlusion does present with STE in aVR, there is ALWAYS ST Elevation elsewhere which makes STEMI obvious; in other words, STE is never limited to only aVR but instead it is part of a massive and usually obvious STEMI. All are, however, clearly massive STEMI. This is her ECG: An obvious STEMI, but which artery?

Coronary 52

Coronary STEMI ACS ALS 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

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

A middle-aged male with h/o CAD and stents presented with typical chest pressure. It may be difficult to read STEMI in the setting of RBBB. There is, however, a long QT also, with abnormal T-waves, but this is not STEMI. So there is pathologic ST elevation here, consistent with anterolateral STEMI. Called 911.

STEMI 52

STEMI CPR CAD Coronary 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 30, 2019

2) The STE in V1 and V2 has an R'-wave and downsloping ST segments, very atypical for STEMI. Cardiology was consulted and they agreed that the EKG had an atypical morphology for STEMI and did not activate the cath lab. She has not had a heart catheterization or after this event so the presence or absence of CAD is still unknown.

E-9-1-1 52

E-9-1-1 CAD STEMI OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

Important Learning Point: "STEMI" is defined by millimeter criteria (1 mm in limb leads), which this does not meet. Therefore it is not a STEMI. But what we truly care about is coronary occlusion, for which STEMI is just a surrogate that is only about 75% sensitive for occlusion. Some are STEMI-equivalents.

E-9-1-1 52

E-9-1-1 STEMI Coronary CAD 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 28, 2018

He has a history of known CAD, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. The STD in V2-V4 is almost certainly reciprocal STD, reciprocal to STEMI in the posterior wall; this is evident because it is maximal in V2-V4, not in V4-V6. Moreover, T-wave inversion in aVL was also found to be 100% sensitive and 86% specific for inferior STEMI.

Coronary 52

Coronary STEMI CAD ED 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 1, 2013

A middle aged male with no h/o CAD presented with one week of crescendo exertional angina, and had chest pain at the time of the first ECG: Here is the patient's previous ECG: Here is the patient's presenting ED ECG: There is isolated ST depression in precordial leads, deeper in V2 - V4 than in V5 or V6. There is no ST elevation.

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS Coronary CAD 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 18, 2013

So I went to look at the chart and here is the history: This patient with no h/o CAD had a couple of episodes of chest pain during the day, then presented with one hour of substernal chest pain that had some reproducibility but also improved from 10/10 to 5/10 with nitroglycerine. He was admitted to the hospital for a "rule out."

STEMI 52

STEMI Coronary ALS CAD 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. Is that an obvious STEMI underneath that rhythm? Is this inferor STEMI? Atrial Flutter with Inferior STEMI? If I fix the rhythm will the ST changes resolve?

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS CAD OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 13, 2019

They found non-obstructive CAD, with only a 20% stenosis of OM2 and 10% RCA. As we have described multiple times on this blog, false positive "pericarditis" kills by distracting the clinician from actual emergencies including OMI, dissection, PE, and others. A repeat ECG was performed and cardiology was re-consulted: Roughly unchanged.

E-9-1-1 52

E-9-1-1 ACS Coronary CAD 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 31, 2018

She had zero CAD risk factors. It is equivalent to a transient STEMI. Not much, but studies of STEMI and NonSTEMI show that about 70% of those diagnosed with STEMI have a peak troponin I above 10 ng/mL and that about 70% of those diagnosed with NonSTEMI have a peak troponin I below 10 ng/mL.

Coronary 52

Coronary ACS STEMI OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 19, 2016

Clinical Course The paramedic activated a “Code STEMI” alert and transported the patient nearly 50 miles to the closest tertiary medical center. 2 The astute paramedic recognized this possibility and announced a CODE STEMI. Look at the aortic outflow tract. What do you see? Answer below in the still shot.

Coronary 52

Coronary ACS ALS STEMI 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 24, 2023

Written by Jesse McLaren, with comments from Smith An 85 year old with a history of CAD presented with 3 hours of chest pain that feels like heartburn but that radiates to the left arm. There’s minimal concave ST elevation in III which does not meet STEMI criteria, so this ECG is "STEMI negative". Below is the ECG. Take home 1.

STEMI 52

STEMI Coronary CAD OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018

In this study of dialysis patients with severe CAD, 77% had an abnormal resting EKG and the most common abnormality was LVH. Another reason may be that the EKG is more difficult to interpret in patients with dialysis due to baseline abnormalities, including LVH. Herzog et al.

CAD 52

CAD OR ED ALS 52