Cardiologist Questions Cardiologist

What is an anterior infarct?

I was showed this on a recent EKG. What is an anterior infarct?

Female | 68 years old
Complaint duration: unknown
Medications: none
Conditions: raynauds

1 Answer

It's a heart attack affecting the front of the heart. It's caused by a blocked coronary artery resulting in an area of damage to the heart muscle. ECGs often show the pattern of a suspected anterior infarct when the heart is just slightly rotated, but you can check whether there really has been a heart attack by having an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasonic scan of the heart (like an antenatal scan but higher up). It will also tell you if you have any abnormal heart valves, etc., which could cause the ECG pattern.

Best wishes,

Jonathan
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