Heart & lung : the journal of critical care
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To investigate the determinants and the prognostic value of fragmented QRS (fQRS) after AMI. ⋯ Persistent fQRS on a 12-lead ECG is a marker of decreased survival after AMI, whereas transient fQRS correlates with recurrent MI.
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Using a fixed ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 s to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) < 0.70 instead of the lower limit of normal (LLN) to define chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may lead to overdiagnosis of COPD in elderly patients with heart failure (HF) and consequently unnecessary treatment with possible adverse health effects. ⋯ One fifth, rather than one third, of the patients with chronic HF had concomitant COPD using the LLN instead of the fixed ratio. LLN may identify clinically more important COPD than a fixed ratio of 0.7.
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Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is characterized by symptoms, ECG changes with elevated cardiac markers mimicking acute myocardial infarction, left ventricular (LV) wall motion abnormalities in the apical region with preserved function of base, and normal coronary arteries. Usual ECG anomalies heralding TTC are ST-elevation in anterior leads, QT prolongation and negative T-waves. ⋯ Diffuse ST-elevation following J-waves may be considered as a possible ECG pattern of presentation in case of TTC.