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Condition: Back Pain

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Total 312 results found since Jan 2013.

50 year-old in remote rural community with chest pain and ‘normal’ ECG
Submitted by anonymous, edited by Jesse McLarenThe first person " I " and " me " is this anonymous sender. A 50 year old presented to the emergency department of a remote rural community (where the nearest cath lab is a plane ride away) with one hour of mild chest pain radiating to the back and jaw, and an ECG labeled ‘normal’ by the computer interpretation. What do you think, and how would you manage the patient?There ’s normal sinus rhythm, normal conduction, normal axis, normal R wave progression and normal voltages. There’s clear T wave inversion in III/aVF, which is reciprocal to subtle ST elevation and h...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - September 8, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Jesse McLaren Source Type: blogs

A middle-aged man with acute chest pain.
A 50-something male had onset of chest pain 1 hour prior to ED arrival.  It is constant, 9/10, left-sided CP that radiates into left arm and jaw. Endorses some associated SOB, but denies back pain, fever, cough, chills, leg swelling, or other new symptoms. Has never had this before. Takes metoprolol for HTN. Here is the triage ECG:What do you think?This was not identified as OMI by either the conventional algorithm nor the triage faculty physician.Smith: I think leads V3 and V4 are highly concerning, and all but diagnostic, for acute LAD occlusion.  I would activate the cath lab, or at least look f...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - September 1, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Steve Smith Source Type: blogs

75 year old dialysis patient with nausea, vomiting and lightheadedness
Written by Jesse McLaren A 75 year-old patient with diabetes and end stage renal disease was sent to the ED after dialysis for three days of nausea, vomiting, loose stool, lightheadedness and fatigue. RR18 sat 99% HR 90 BP 90/60, afebrile. Below is the 15 lead ECG. What do you think? There ’s normal sinus rhythm, normal conduction, normal axis, normal R wave progression and normal voltages. There’s subtle inferior ST elevation with straightening of the ST segment, reciprocal ST depression and T wave inversion in aVL, and ST depression in V2. This is diagnostic of infero-posterior OMI, but it is falsely n...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - August 19, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Jesse McLaren Source Type: blogs

A man in his 70s with weakness and syncope
DiscussionBrugada Type 1 ECG changes are associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD) and the occurrence of ventricular dysrhythmias. Patients that develop a Type 1 pattern without any precipitating or provoking factors have a risk of SCD of 0.5-0.8% per year. In patients that only have this pattern induced by a sodium channel blocking agent have a lower rate of SCD (0 - 0.35% per year)[1]. Drugs that have been associated with Brugada ECG patterns include tricyclic antidepressants, anesthetics, cocaine, methadone, antihistamines, electrolyte derangements, and even tramadol. [2]. Our patient had a Brugada Type ...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - July 22, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Pendell Source Type: blogs

A man with chest pain off and on for two days, and " No STEMI " at triage.
 Written by Kaley El-Arab MD, edits by Pendell Meyers and Stephen SmithA 61-year-old male with hypertension and hyperlipidemia presented to the emergency department for chest tightness radiating to the back of his neck that has been intermittent for the past day or two. Here is his triage ECG which was obtained at 20:34 during active pain.What do you think?This ECG was read as “No STEMI” with no prior available for comparison. It is true this ECG does not meet STEMI criteria (there is 1.0 mm STE in III, and possibly 0.5 mm in aVF), but there is clear evidence of OMI findings on this ECG. Leads II, III, and aVF hav...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - June 19, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Pendell Source Type: blogs

Two ECGs texted to me in the same hour. What would you recommend?
Written by Pendell MeyersBoth of these cases were sent to me with no information other than adults with acute chest pain. What would be your response?Case 1:Case 2:What if I told you that Case 1 has an abnormal initial troponin, and Case 2 has a normal initial troponin? Case 1An elderly male presented with chest pain. His vitals were within normal limits except some mild hypertension. Here was his triage ECG:What do you think?I texted back: " I just see LVH with no signs of OMI " .I sent this ECG to the Queen of Hearts (PMcardio OMI), and here is the verdict:You can subscribe for news and early access (via partic...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - June 15, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Pendell Source Type: blogs

75 year old with 24 hours of chest pain, STEMI negative
Written by Jesse McLaren A 75 year old with a history of CABG called EMS after 24 hours of chest pain. HR 40, BP 135/70, RR16, O2 100%. Here ’s the paramedic ECG (digitized by PMcardio). What do you think? There ’s sinus bradycardia, normal conduction, normal axis, delayed R wave progression, and normal voltages. There are inferior Q waves and lead III has mild concave ST elevation, with subtle reciprocal ST depression in I/aVL. This is diagnostic of inferior OMI, likely from the RCA. The patient has a hi story of CABG so some of these changes could be old, but with ongoing chest pain and bradycardia in a hig...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - June 8, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Jesse McLaren Source Type: blogs

A man in his 70s with acute chest pain and paced rhythm.
Sent by Pete McKenna M.D.  Edits by Meyers and SmithA man in his 70s with PMH of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes, CVA, dual-chamber Medtronic pacemaker, presented to the ED for evaluation of  acute chest pain.Triage ECG:What do you think?This is diagnostic of proximal LAD occlusion.  This is a huge anterolateral OMI.  Deadly.  I cannot be anything else.Code STEMI was activated by the ED physician based on the diagnostic ECG for LAD OMI in ventricular paced rhythm. There is concordant ST elevation in I, aVL with reciprocal concordant STD in inferior leads, as well as excessiv...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - May 8, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Pendell Source Type: blogs

‘ Women ’ s pain ’ – not just ‘ women ’ s pain ’
Women really do get a rough deal when it comes to pain. We live with the myth that because women experience pain in childbirth and (often) with periods of course women can ‘deal with it.’ Until recently women and female animals haven’t been included in pain research, and guess what? Women and female animals don’t have the same biological system for processing nociception. Men are told ‘don’t be a girl’ about their pain. Women are told they ‘look too good’ to be experiencing pain. Women don’t get taken seriously when they ask for help with their pain &#...
Source: HealthSkills Weblog - April 20, 2023 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: BronnieLennoxThompson Tags: Pain Pain conditions Chronic pain gender gender disparity Health healthcare Research sex women Source Type: blogs

Off and on chest pain for 24 hours in a 50s year old man
Submitted by Ali Khan MD and James Mantas MD, MS, written by Pendell MeyersA man in his 50s with history of diabetes, hypertension, and tobacco use presented to the ED with 24 hours of worsening left sided chest pain radiating to the back, characterized as squeezing and pinching, associated with shortness of breath. His pain was initially mild, then became severely worse several hours prior to presentation, but then eased off again and was minimal on arrival. There was no associated diaphoresis, nausea, vomiting, arm pain, jaw pain, syncope, lightheadedness or other acute symptoms.Initial vitals: Temp 36.7 C, BP 161/79, RR...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - April 9, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Pendell Source Type: blogs

70-year-old with acute chest pain, STEMI negative: just an old infarct?
Submitted by Dr. Dennis Cho (@DennisCho), written by Jesse McLaren A 70-year-old with no cardiac history presented with 2 hours of chest pain radiating to the neck, associated with shortness of breath. What do you think?There ’s normal sinus rhythm, first-degree AV block, normal axis and voltages. R wave progression is abnormal: there are Q waves in aVL/V2-3 and loss of R wave in V2. This is accompanied by minimal ST elevation in aVL/V1-V2 and more pronounced inferior reciprocal ST depression, and minimal ST depression V5-6. This is diagnostic of OMI, either proximal LAD or first diagonal. Q wave, old infarct?B...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - April 4, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Jesse McLaren Source Type: blogs

Watch what happens when you teach others how to find OMI
 Submitted by Dr. Caio Aguiar from Brazil, written by Pendell MeyersIt is immensely rewarding to receive these emails, like I received from Dr. Aguiar last week:" Last year I had a couple of lessons with you while on my internship.I finished my residency of Emergency Medicine and I ’m working at a great Emergency Department here in Brazil.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. "Case" Male, 43yo, come to ED with Epigastric Pain started 3 hours ago. Risk Factors: High Cholesterol. Vitals S...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - March 21, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Pendell Source Type: blogs

A 50-Something Male with 2 hours of Chest discomfort
This ECG was texted to me in real time, but I did not notice the message until about an hour after it came. " 50 + yo. Concerning history, known CAD "Recorded 2 hours after pain onset:What do you think?This was my response:" This looks like a worrisome EKG. It looks like an Occlusion MI (OMI), but I am not 100% certain. But by now you must have a repeat ECG.  Can I see it? "Pendell Meyers had an identical response when I sent it to him.PM Cardio AI algorithm said " OMI with high confidence "Explanation: There is subtle ST Elevation in inferior leads, with a hyperacute T-wave in III, reciprocal STD in aVL with an ...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - March 19, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Steve Smith Source Type: blogs

A man in his 50s with chest pain
 Sent by anonymous, written by Pendell MeyersA man in his 50s with no prior known medical history presented to the Emergency Department with severe intermittent chest pain. He had episodes of chest pain off and on all night, until about 1 hour prior to arrival when the pain became constant, crushing, 10/10 chest pain that radiated to both arms. He denied any lightheadedness, shortness of breath, vomiting, or abdominal pain. Vitals were within normal limits.Here is his triage ECG at 0343:What do you think?Meyers interpretation: Diagnostic of LAD OMI, with hyperacute T waves in a large LAD distribution including precord...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - March 9, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Pendell Source Type: blogs

What do you think of this ECG?? Is this during pain, or after pain resolution? Also, see the CT image of the heart.
If you saw this ECG only knowing that it is an acute chest pain patient, what would be your interpretation?This is a trick question, as you will see below.  But you can make a diagnosis here, and Pendell and I do this all the time when reading ECGs from databases. I sent this to Pendell without any information at all, and he replied " Postero-lateral Reperfusion. "The T-waves in V2-V4appear hyperacute, suggesting LAD occlusion,BUT there is also T-wave inversion that is typical morphology forreperfusion in V5 and V6.Thus, one must think of reperfusion.  When there is reperfusion and there are large T-waves in...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - March 6, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Steve Smith Source Type: blogs