'Balanced ischaemia' on ECG in dual territory STEMI

Iswaree Devi Balakrishnan1, Chee Yang Chin1, Louis Teo1

  • 1Department of Cardiology, National Heart Centre, Singapore, Singapore.

Insights

Identifying the cause of ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) can be tricky with multiple blocked arteries. This case highlights

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Electrocardiography
  • Myocardial Infarction

Background:

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG) changes typically guide culprit lesion identification in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
  • Identifying the specific blocked artery can be challenging in cases of multi-vessel coronary artery occlusion.

Observation:

  • A case of dual territory STEMI presented with unexpected ECG findings.
  • These ECG changes were not typical for a single occluded artery.

Findings:

  • The concept of 'balanced ischaemia' was introduced to explain the unanticipated ECG changes in dual territory STEMI.
  • Fundamental electrocardiography principles successfully explained these complex findings.

Implications:

  • This case reaffirms the continued relevance of electrocardiography in diagnosing complex myocardial infarction scenarios.
  • Understanding 'balanced ischaemia' can improve diagnostic accuracy in multi-vessel disease.

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