Electrocardiographic diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction

The widely recognized benefits of early diagnosis and treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have only emphasized the importance of emergency physician (EP) competence in electrocardiographic interpretation. As such, the EP must be an expert in the interpretation of the electrocardiogram (ECG) in the emergency department chest pain center patient. The ECG is a powerful clinical tool used in the evaluation of patients, assisting in making the diagnosis of AMI and other syndromes, selecting appropriate therapies (including thrombolysis and primary angioplasty), securing the location of an adequate inpatient disposition, and predicting the risk of cardiovascular complications and death. This article will discuss the appropriate uses of the ECG in the patient with possible or confirmed AMI and review the typical electrocardiographic findings of AMI, diagnostically confounding patterns, mimickers of infarction, and new techniques.