Scenario: This 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is from a 49-year-old woman who came to the emergency department with progressively worsening chest discomfort and difficulty breathing for the past hour. She has no significant medical history. Initial vital signs were heart rate ~70 beats per minute (bpm), respiratory rate 16/min, blood pressure 116/78 mm Hg, and oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry (Spo2) 95%. Emergency personnel administered aspirin and sublingual nitroglycerin on arrival in the emergency department, and the result of an initial cardiac troponin I test was negative.
Irregular sinus rhythm, frequent premature ventricular complexes, acute anteroseptal ST-elevation myocardial infarct (STEMI).
The standard 12-lead ECG is presented in a 3 × 4 display configuration, wherein each lead is showcased within 1 of 4 consecutive 2.5-second windows. This layout can pose a challenge when it comes to interpreting waveform morphology in individual leads, particularly in instances of a...