The Skeptics' Guide to EM

JANUARY 18, 2020

You turn to the attending and ask, “do you really think this could be acute coronary syndrome (ACS)?” ACS is usually amongst this differential, as cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. The proportion of patients with ACS at the index visit or within 30 days. *

ACS 130

ACS Coronary Emergency Department ALS 130

EMS 12-Lead

AUGUST 18, 2024

David Didlake EMT-P, RN, ACNP @DidlakeDW An adult male self-presented to the ED with palpitations and the following ECG. I interpreted the ECG as VT with two primary etiological possibilities: 1. Abrupt plaque ulceration of Type 1 ACS leading to VT. The patient was very uncomfortable, dyspneic, and displayed an SpO2 90% on RA.

CAD 147

CAD EMT EMT ACS 147

REBEL EM

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

However, many institutions’ surgical teams still require or request a formal study over a bedside exam, likely due to a lack of confidence in the accuracy of POCUS, resulting in longer ED stays. ACS surgeons appeared to select surgery as their initial choice substantially more frequently than other subspecialties.

ED 68

ED ACS Emergency Department OR 68

ALiEM

AUGUST 30, 2024

A 5-year-old female presented to the emergency department (ED) with a one-year history of gradually increasing anterior neck swelling. She was discharged from the ED on levothyroxine 25 mcg daily with endocrinology outpatient follow-up. The patient had no significant past medical history. Pediatric neck masses. Pediatr Rev.

ACS 161

ACS Emergency Department ED OR 161

FOAMfrat

APRIL 25, 2024

They also discuss the challenges of pulse palpation and the need for more rigorous research in EMS and ED settings. References: Kimbrell J, Kreinbrook J, Poke D, Kalosza B, Geldner J, Shekhar AC, Miele A, Bouthillet T, Vega J. They emphasize the importance of confirming electrical capture before assuming mechanical capture.

Paramedic 128

Paramedic ACS EMS ED 128

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 25, 2024

The patient was brought to the ED and had this ECG recorded: What do you think? Then assume there is ACS. After 1 mg of epinephrine they achieved ROSC. Total prehospital meds were epinephrine 1 mg x 3, amiodarone 300 mg and 100 mL of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate. And what do you want to do?

Defibrillator 125

Defibrillator Coronary Epinephrine ACS 125

EMS 12-Lead

JUNE 20, 2022

Although the attending crews did not consider the ECG pathognomonic for occlusive thrombosis, they nonetheless considered the patient high-risk for ACS and implored him to reconsider. Here is the final ECG just prior to ED transfer. It’s important to stress the presence of a normal QRS (i.e., The pathology is now painfully evident.

ACS 130

ACS Coronary STEMI CAD 130

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

JULY 2, 2022

Case: You are working a shift in your local community emergency department (ED) when a 47-year-old male presents with chest pain. Background: Chest pain is one of the most common presentations to the ED. In prior decades nearly all patients presenting to EDs with chest pain were admitted to hospital. AEM June 2022.

Coronary 100

Coronary Heart Attack ACS CAD 100

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

FEBRUARY 27, 2021

Case: A 46-year-old female presents to the emergency department (ED) with sudden onset, severe right flank pain. Delays in providing adequate analgesia leads to poorer patient outcomes, prolonged ED length of stay and reduced patient satisfaction (17, 18). AEM Feb 2021. Reference: Brichko et al.

Emergency Department 130

Emergency Department ALS ACS ED 130

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

SEPTEMBER 11, 2021

He is interested and experienced in healthcare informatics, previously worked with ED-directed EMR design, and is involved in the New York City Health and Hospitals Healthcare Administration Scholars Program (HASP). She arrives in the emergency department (ED) with decreased level of consciousness and shock.

EMR 130

EMR Coronary Defibrillator Life Support 130

EMS 12-Lead

APRIL 14, 2022

It should be emphasized here that this is a presentation of high-pretest probability for Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). ACS and hyperkalemia both have lethal downstream consequences, so it is imperative for the clinician to acclimate to the presentation, or developing, features of each. ECG's are difficult. Hyperkalemia revisited.

ACS 130

ACS Paramedic Coronary ALS 130

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 31, 2024

The person I was texting knows implicitly based on our experience together that I mean "Definite posterior OMI, assuming the patient's clinical presentation is consistent with ACS." The interventional cardiologist then canceled the activation and returned the patient to the ED without doing an angiogram ("Not a STEMI").

STEMI 111

STEMI ACS ED 111

EMS 12-Lead

JULY 30, 2023

David Didlake, FF/EMT-P, AG-ACNP @DidlakeDW An elder female presented to the ED with worsening shortness of breath. This should prompt immediate investigation into supply-demand mismatching, or ACS. She was known to have a history of poorly controlled COPD, AFib, and multivessel coronary disease.

EMT 130

EMT EMT ACS Coronary 130

EMS 12-Lead

JULY 24, 2023

David Didlake Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Firefighter / Paramedic (ret) @DidlakeDW Expert commentary and peer review by Dr. Steve Smith [link] @smithECGBlog A 57 y/o Female with PMHx HTN, HLD, DM, and current use of tobacco products, presented to the ED with chest discomfort. A 12 Lead ECG was captured on her arrival.

Coronary 130

Coronary ACS CAD ED 130

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 20, 2024

This was sent by an undergraduate (not yet in medical school, but applying now) who works as an ED technician (records all EKGs, helps with procedures, takes vital signs) and who reads this blog regularly. Smith comment : Is the ACS (rupture plaque) with occlusion that is now reperfusing? The ST depressions in I and aVL have resolved.

CAD 127

CAD STEMI Coronary ACS 127

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 13, 2023

This is acute ACS, but it almost always seen in a pain free state. An ED ECG, if recorded with pain, should show LAD OMI. That said — severe chest pain was present at the time the patient arrived in the ED ( corresponding to the time ECG #2 was recorded ).

ED 52

ED ACS Coronary Paramedic 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 15, 2023

[link] Case continued She arrived in the ED and here is the first ED ECG. Angiogram No obstructive epicardial coronary artery disease Cannot exclude non-ACS causes of troponin elevation including coronary vasospasm, stress cardiomyopathy, microvascular disease, etc. I don't know if her pain was getting better or not.

Coronary 110

Coronary E-9-1-1 STEMI ACS 110

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

MAY 28, 2022

AEM May 2022 Guest Skeptic: Dr. Justin Morgenstern is an emergency physician and the creator of the #FOAMed project called First10EM.com Case: A 33-year-old male presents to the emergency department (ED) complaining of abdominal pain. He doesn’t have any specific symptoms today, including no fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or urinary symptoms.

Emergency Department 100

Emergency Department ALS ACS Coronary 100

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 2, 2024

He was unidentified and there were no records available After 7 shocks, he was successfully defibrillated and brought to the ED. Bedside ED ultrasound showed exceedingly poor global LV function, and no B lines. Here is the initial ED ECG. What do you think? Rhythm : Residents asked me why it is not VT. The QRS is extremely wide.

Defibrillator 134

Defibrillator Coronary Epinephrine CPR 134

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 27, 2024

There were zero patients in this study with a "normal" ECG who had any kind of ACS! Figure-1: I've labeled the initial ECG in the ED. KEY Point: All patients who present to the ED for new CP should promptly have a triage ECG recorded, that is then immediately interpreted by the ED physician.

STEMI 118

STEMI Coronary ACS ED 118

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 27, 2023

Cardiology consult note written around that time documents that "Pain improved with NTG, morphine in ED but still present." As a result, even before looking at this patient's initial ECG — he falls into a high -prevalence likelihood group for ACS ( for an A cute C oronary S yndrome ). Repeat cTnI drawn at around 8 AM was 3.910 ng/mL.

E-9-1-1 131

E-9-1-1 OR Coronary ACS 131

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 8, 2019

Jerry Jones commented: "Any ST depression on the ECG of a patient with chest pain credible for ACS represents a reciprocal change until proved otherwise." For clarity — I show in Figure-1 the i nitial E CG obtained in the ED ( = E CG # 1 ) — together with the p rehospital E CG that I have pieced together ( = E CG # 2 ).

ED 52

ED STEMI ACS OR 52

Broome Docs

DECEMBER 22, 2024

PECARN looks at probiotics for toddlers diarrhea… Schnadower D, Tarr PI, Casper TC, Gorelick MH, Dean JM, O’Connell KJ, Mahajan P, Levine AC, Bhatt SR, Roskind CG, Powell EC, Rogers AJ, Vance C, Sapien RE, Olsen CS, Metheney M, Dickey VP, Hall-Moore C, Freedman SB.

E-9-1-1 52

E-9-1-1 ACS Paramedic Emergency Department 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 10, 2023

References: 1) See this study showing an association between morphine and mortality in Non-STE-ACS: Meine TJ, Roe M, Chen A, Patel M, Washam J, Ohman E, Peacock W, Pollack C, Gibler W, Peterson E. Link to abstract Link to full text 2) Use of Morphine in Non-STE-ACS is independently associated with mortality, at odds ratio of 1.4

E-9-1-1 79

E-9-1-1 ACS STEMI Coronary 79

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 31, 2020

A middle-aged man complained of 15 minutes of classic angina that resolved upon arrival to the ED. But it does prove that the patient has coronary disease and makes the probability that his chest pain is due to ACS very very high. Figure-1: The initial ECG that was done in the ED ( See text ).

ED 52

ED Coronary ACS CAD 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 24, 2015

Here was his initial ED ECG: There is atrial fibrillation with a rapid ventricular response. Does this patient have ACS? He did not have ACS. The remainder were due to other etiologies, (including NonSTEMI ACS). But approximately 50% were due to non-ACS etiologies. A middle-aged male had a V Fib arrest.

Defibrillator 52

Defibrillator ACS CAD STEMI 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 15, 2023

Prior episodes had simply resolved after brief symptoms, but the current episode had lasted for 2 hours without improvement, so she presented to the ED. At triage she stated her pain is still persistent, but it is mildly improved compared to when she decided to come to the ED. No diaphoresis or vomiting.

ACS 117

ACS ED STEMI OR 117

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 19, 2023

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. But because the patient had no chest pain or shortness of breath, it was not deemed to be from ACS. Below is the 15 lead ECG.

STEMI 98

STEMI ACS OR ALS 98

REBEL EM

OCTOBER 23, 2023

His parent noticed a dental problem and immediately brought the patient to the ED. The patient was walking his dog when it ran after a squirrel. The patient was pulled forward, causing him to hit his tooth on the asphalt. The physical exam is shown below. Which of the following is the best next recommendation? Dent Traumatol.

EMS 58

EMS ACS ALS ED 58

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 9, 2024

Ischemia from ACS causing the chest discomfort, with VT another consequence (or coincidence)? Cardioversion will address the rhythm problem immediately, also if the chest discomfort subsides when SR is restored, ischemia from ACS becomes much less likely. This patient presented to the ED “after a couple of days of chest discomfort”.

Coronary 119

Coronary ACS ED OR 119

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 19, 2024

The Queen of Hearts agrees: Here the Queen explains why: However, it was not interpreted correctly by the providers: ED interpretation of ECG: "paced rhythm, LBBB but no STEMI pattern." The cath report showed: Significant stenosis with subtotal occlusion (99%) in the prox to mid Lcx, culprit of ACS, TIMI flow 1.

CAD 110

CAD STEMI ACS ALS 110

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Here is the first ED ECG recorded, now pain free after sublingual Nitro: There is what appears to be a reperfusion T-wave in I and aVL. The 3rd tracing in Figure-1 was the initial ED ECG — obtained at a time when the patient's CP had resolved. Shortly thereafter, on arrival in the ED — ECG #3 was recorded.

E-9-1-1 117

E-9-1-1 Coronary EMS ED 117

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 23, 2014

This shows how even a novice may be a able to see wall motion abnormalities that, especially if they correlate with the subtle ECG findings, may help to make the diagnosis of ACS. But there are times when those with less experience can provisionally identify wall motion abnormalities, and it may help in diagnosis of ACS.

ACS 40

ACS ED Coronary OR 40

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. In our opinion it should not be given in ACS unless you are committed to the cath lab.

ACS 84

ACS Coronary ALS CAD 84

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 14, 2016

I delved into his reasons for arriving so late after onset, thinking that perhaps the pain had only recently increased, or that it had been intermittent until now, but he confirmed that it was 14 hours of constant pain and it was his significant other who insisted that he go to the ED. Patients with ACS and hemodynamic instability 2.

ACS 52

ACS STEMI Coronary OR 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 11, 2024

The machine indicated STEMI (but it barely meets STEMI criteria, if at all) and the patient was brought to the ED: On arrival 20 minutes later the pain had reduced to 1/10 after aspirin, and the patient had repeat ECG at triage: Now the ST segments and T waves have normalized, and the only abnormality is sinus bradycardia and loss of R waves.

STEMI 98

STEMI Paramedic Coronary EMS 98

EMDocs

AUGUST 17, 2023

mL/kg/hr for 2 consecutive hours OR Decrease in serum lactate by more than 10% from initial level Primary outcome – Early norepinephrine group vs. the control group demonstrated higher rates of shock control at 6 hours: 76.1% vs 48.4% (OR 3.4, vs 48.4% (OR 3.4,

Overdose 90

Overdose ACS Critical Care OR 90