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Updated: Jun 12, 2026
05:12
Portable Thermographic Screening for Detection of Acute Wallenberg's Syndrome
Published on: September 19, 2019
[Wellens syndrome].
Marcelo Campos Appel-da-Silva1, Gabriel Zago, Aníbal Pereira Abelin
1Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição (HNSC), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. marceloappel@yahoo.com.br
Arquivos Brasileiros De Cardiologia
|May 26, 2010
Summary
Chest pain evaluation in emergency services often misses Wellens syndrome, a critical variant of unstable angina. Early identification is vital to prevent severe outcomes and mortality in patients with negative initial cardiac tests.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Emergency Medicine
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Chest pain is a frequent emergency department complaint with a wide differential diagnosis.
- Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a primary concern, necessitating prompt evaluation.
- Standard diagnostic tools like ECG and cardiac enzymes may not detect all critical conditions.
Observation:
- A case report details a female patient presenting with angina.
- Initial emergency room investigations, including ECG and cardiac enzymes, were negative for ischemic heart disease.
- This highlights the potential for missed diagnoses in routine assessments.
Findings:
- Wellens syndrome, a specific electrocardiographic pattern, indicates significant proximal left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis.
- This syndrome is a variant of unstable angina and a precursor to myocardial infarction.
- Negative initial cardiac markers do not rule out serious underlying cardiac pathology.
Implications:
- Timely recognition of Wellens syndrome is crucial for appropriate management and intervention.
- Failure to identify this condition can lead to substantial patient morbidity and mortality.
- This case underscores the importance of considering less common diagnoses in chest pain evaluation.
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