Journal of electrocardiology
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Prolongation of the corrected QT interval (QTc) can lead to torsades de pointes. This study is designed to determine the validity of the continuous QTc (cQTc) measurement in critically ill patients. ⋯ cQTc measurement in critically ill patients with a QRS duration shorter than 120 ms shows an acceptable accuracy to be used in routine care.
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Timely reperfusion therapy by means of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the preferred treatment for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. A significant number of patients with large acute myocardial infarction, caused by occlusion of an epicardial coronary artery, do not show ST-elevation on the electrocardiogram. ⋯ Recognition of this ECG pattern by ambulance staff, emergency physicians and interventional cardiologists envolved in STEMI networks, is important to ensure timely reperfusion therapy in these patients. In this paper we present three patients with typical symptoms of acute myocardial infarction and the ECG pattern with slight J-point depression combined with tall, symmetrical T-waves.