Triage of Patients with Acute Chest Pain and Possible Cardiac Ischemia: The Elusive Search for Diagnostic Perfection

Figure 1. The ECG shows tracing obtained at initial presentation (and obtained during an episode of chest pain) at half-standard scale. The ECG shows tracing at standard scale from several years before the current presentation. It was available for comparison at the time of presentation, although the difference in ECG standardization was not noted at that time despite the presence of standardization marks. Subsequent recognition of this difference between the 2 tracings presumably contributed to the cardiologist's interpretation of the new ECG as abnormal, with new J-point depression anterolaterally (V to V ).
Figure 1. The ECG shows tracing obtained at initial presentation (and obtained during an episode of chest pain) at half-standard scale. The ECG shows tracing at standard scale from several years before the current presentation. It was available for comparison at the time of presentation, although the difference in ECG standardization was not noted at that time despite the presence of standardization marks. Subsequent recognition of this difference between the 2 tracings presumably contributed to the cardiologist's interpretation of the new ECG as abnormal, with new J-point depression anterolaterally (V to V ). Electrocardiograms (ECGs) obtained at presentation and a previous comparison tracing.Top.Bottom.25

This Article

  1. Ann Intern Med December 16, 2003 vol. 139 no. 12 987-995