ECG Case 039
Elderly patient presenting with chest pain. BP 80/50. Describe the ECG.
Describe and interpret this ECG
ECG ANSWER and INTERPRETATION
This ECG shows extensive infero-postero-lateral STEMI with “tombstone” morphology:
- Gross ST elevation in II, III, aVF consistent with inferior infarction.
- Reciprocal ST depression seen in I, aVL.
- ST elevation in V5-6 indicating lateral wall involvement.
- ST depression in V2 is suggestive of associated posterior wall infarction — the morphology is the exact inverse of the ST elevation in the inferior leads.
There are some additional features suggest of right ventricular infarction:
- STE in lead III > lead II.
- Deep ST depression in V2 with an isoelectric ST segment in V1.
This is a huge infarct with a likely poor prognosis. Hypotension may be due to nitrate therapy causing exaggerated preload reduction in the context of RV infarction, or may simply reflect the large infarct size with development of early cardiogenic shock.
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Emergency Physician in Prehospital and Retrieval Medicine in Sydney, Australia. He has a passion for ECG interpretation and medical education | ECG Library |