Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 3, 2023

The baseline ECG is basically normal with no ischemia. Here is what the Queen of Hearts says about the Baseline ECG: Active chest pain triage ECG also read as not OMI: She says "not OMI", but she does not have access to the baseline ECG. In the future, we will be able to have her compare with previous and serial ECGs.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 22, 2024

His ECG is shown: What do you think? The history thus far is highly suggestive of OMI, so we must study the ECG very closely to see if we can confirm this. The Queen of Hearts does not care about rhythm analysis, she simply looks at the ECG and decides whether it represents OMI or not.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 19, 2023

This ECG was texted to me in real time, but I did not notice the message until about an hour after it came. "50 This was my response: "This looks like a worrisome EKG. But by now you must have a repeat ECG. But by now you must have a repeat ECG. Another ECG was recorded while waiting for the cath team (it was nighttime).

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 14, 2022

Here are his three EMS ECGs: EMS1 at 0735 This was sent to Dr. Smith with no other information. Meyers sent this ECG to Smith without any other info and this was the response: Smith interpretation: "A very rare anterior OMI w high S-wave voltage." ED ECGs: 0814 0830 These show continued reperfusion with no evidence of reocclusion.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

He had the following EKG recorded: Low voltage, suggests effusion. A Rising Troponin That afternoon, he complained of increased shortness of breath and was noted to have oxygen saturations in the 70s, prompting a mini code to be called. This is the ECG on V-V ECMO: Very little STE He had a lot of troponins measured.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 31, 2020

Meyers, Weingart and Smith published their OMI Manifesto — in which they extensively document the critically important concept that management of acute MI by separation into a “STEMI” vs “non-STEMI” classification is an irreversibly flawed approach. P.S.: Our September 3, 2020 post features Dr. Meyers' 17-minute summary of the OMI Manifesto.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 10, 2023

Triage ECG (no prior for comparison): Computer algorithm read: "Sinus rhythm, low voltage QRS, inferior myocardial infarction, probably old." I texted this ECG with no information to Dr. Smith, who immediately said: "If CP, then anterior OMI until proven otherwise." Every note says "no ischemic changes on ECG." Deemed "NSTEMI."

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 23, 2023

Here is the ED ECG: What do you think? For clarity in Figure-1 — I've reproduced and labeled the 2 ECGs in today's case. Figure-1: I've labeled the 2 ECGs in today's case ( See text ). MY Thoughts to Today's Initial ECG: In the BEST of hands — prediction of the etiology of a regular WCT rhythm is less than perfect.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 27, 2023

He had a prehospital ECG that was worrisome to the medics, so they called me to see him at the door. His prehospital ECG showed "inferior" ST depression and high voltage, with tachycardia. His prehospital ECG showed "inferior" ST depression and high voltage, with tachycardia. and had dilated pupils. He was alert and oriented.

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The Skeptics' Guide to EM

MAY 2, 2020

Date: April 24th, 2020 Reference: Watanabe et al. Date: April 24th, 2020 Reference: Watanabe et al. The EMS crew arrives and performs a 3 lead EKG that does not show an ST elevated myocardial infarction. The crew then asks if you want them to transport your father Code 3 with full lights and sirens.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 11, 2022

A 12 lead ECG was obtained by EMS and is shown below: What do you think? The ECG is diagnostic of LAD occlusion (or even left main occlusion possibly), with the classic pattern of RBBB and LAFB with huge concordant STE in V1-V2, I, and aVL, with reciprocal depression in most other leads (and/or a component of subendocardial ischemia pattern).

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 15, 2020

Here is her ED ECG: Here is the ED physician's interpretation: IMPRESSION UNCERTAIN REGULAR RHYTHM, wide complex tachycardia, likely p-waves. Here is the post-cardioversion ECG: There is sinus with RBBB There are inferior Q-waves suggesting old inferior MI. Figure-1: The 2 ECGs in this case ( See text ).

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 31, 2023

Here is the result: Next, it interprets the digital data: A perfect interpretation Unfortunately, this ECG was not interpreted as OMI and the patient did not get another ECG recorded until 2 hours later. I tell them that it is not the ECG that is nonspecific, but the interpreter who is nonspecific.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 11, 2024

Many systems now refrain from showing computer "normal" ECGs to the busy emergency physicians at triage because of very poorly conceived articles that say that if the computer algorithm says "normal," the emergency physician should not be bothered. Three patients with chest pain and “normal” ECGs: which had OMI?

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 28, 2022

Given her reported chest pain, shortness of breath, and syncope, an ECG was quickly obtained: What do you think? This patient was reported to have distant heart sounds but was not hypotensive and did not have JVD according to documentation. For clarity in Figure-1 — I've reproduced her initial ECG.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 2, 2024

The ECG below was recorded by EMS. ECG #1 Interpretation: ECG #1 shows sinus rhythm at a heart rate of 77 bpm. At first glance, the ECG does not look too abnormal. In my experience, the pathologic finding in the above ECG is the easiest one to overlook — especially if you are in a rush and do not do a systematic review.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 27, 2023

The following ECG was obtained. Note that the machine read is "normal sinus rhythm, normal ECG." ECG 1 What do you think? I sent this ECG to Dr. Smith and Dr. Meyers with no clinical context. Smith comment: this troponin alone should be enough data to activate the cath lab, regardless of the ECG. <0.049 ng/mL).

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 19, 2024

Here is his triage ECG at time = 0: What do you think? (No If you understand wide QRS complexes and appropriate discordance, you will understand that this ECG shows ischemic ST depression maximal in V1-V4 , which is the best and simplest available feature we have studied for identifying posterior OMI. Final diagnosis: NSTEMI.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 30, 2019

An initial EKG was obtained: Computer read: sinus tachycardia, early acute anterior infarct. Here is her prior EKG: When compared to the old EKG – Q waves present before, TWI in aVR present before, but all other changes are new. What is the differential for this EKG? T wave inversion III, aVR, TWF in aVF. Is this an OMI?

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

FEBRUARY 13, 2023

(photocopy of prehospital ECGs digitized by PMcardio) ECG #1 (top): there’s normal sinus rhythm, normal conduction, normal axis, normal R wave progression, and normal voltages. ECG # 2 (bottom): there’s sinus rhythm with normal conduction, normal axis, loss of R wave in V2, normal voltages. Will be missed easily.”

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 9, 2024

The ECG below was recorded. The ECG was interpreted as showing atrial flutter with 2:1 conduction. Answer : The ECG above shows a regular wide complex tachycardia. Said differently, the ECG shows a rather slow ventricular tachycardia with a 2:1 VA conduction. How do you interpret the below ECG?

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 31, 2020

Here is his initial ECG: What do you think? The patient's chest pain had resolved by the time of the ECG 2. Although this ECG does not demand immediate cath lab activation, it is very worrisome. For clarity — I’ve reproduced and labeled the ECG shown in this case ( Figure-1 ). There are well-formed Q-waves 3.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 8, 2020

Here is her prior baseline ECG (first), and her ED ECG (second): Baseline: ED ECG: What do you think? Do you agree with the computer's interpretation of "Normal ECG"? The ECG shows sinus rhythm with normal QRS and R wave progression. This ECG clearly meets STEMI criteria by the way, regardless of age or gender.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

FEBRUARY 28, 2020

An ECG was texted to me (Smith) without any clinical information: What did I say? Some providers were worried about ACS because of this ECG. It turns out there was a previous ECG for comparison, which I did not see for weeks afterwards: Sinus rhythm with PACs, one is aberrantly conducted. This is NOT Wellens. The answer was yes.

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Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 5, 2020

Here is the ECG: What do you think? See below how this has been documented. Shah and Rubin studied the computer rhythm interpretation of 2160 12-lead ECGs, compared to 2 cardiologists [ 18 ]. noted computer over-interpretation (false positives) of AF in 9 to 19% of ECGs [ 19 ]. Among, 2447 ECGs, Mant et al.

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