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Accuracy of a portable interpretive ECG machine in diagnosis of acute evolving myocardial infarction
M F O'Rourke1, A Cook, G Carroll
1Medical Professorial Unit, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Medicine
|February 1, 1992
Abstract:
From a study of 526 patients having automatic ECG analysis, criteria were established which diagnosed acute evolving Q wave myocardial infarction with 71% sensitivity and 98% specificity. Specificity was 100% when patients with known previous Q wave infarction were excluded. In pre-hospital practice the high sensitivity and specificity were maintained. This method appears appropriate, when other criteria are met, for paramedic-initiated pre-hospital thrombolysis with remote supervision of a cardiologist by telephone.