Left Main Coronary Artery Disease: The Forgotten Lead of Electrocardiogram Is Predictive
Pradnya Brijmohan Bhattad1, Akil A Sherif1, Ajay K Mishra1
1Cardiovascular Medicine, Saint Vincent Hospital, University of Massachusetts (UMass) Chan Medical School, Worcester, USA.
Insights
ST segment elevation in lead aVR with diffuse ST depression during chest pain indicates severe coronary artery disease, such as left main or multi-vessel disease, requiring urgent angiogram.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Diagnostic Electrocardiography
- Interventional Cardiology
Background:
- ST segment elevation in lead aVR, particularly with diffuse ST depression, is an uncommon but critical electrocardiographic finding.
- This pattern suggests significant left ventricular strain and is associated with severe coronary artery disease.
Abstract:
An ST segment depression in eight or more leads along with ST segment elevation in lead aVR or V1, especially occurring during ischemic symptoms, has a very high predictive accuracy of left main or three-vessel disease, or tight proximal left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery stenosis. We describe a classic case of a patient who presented with ST elevation in the lead aVR with diffuse ST segment depression during anginal symptoms and was found to have severe disease in the distal left main, ostial circumflex, and left anterior descending artery on an emergent coronary angiogram.
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