There’s ST elevation in a lot of leads – meaning that it would have to be a really funky anatomic variant to explain such a huge territory of infarction. Either that or multiple acute occlusions in different vessels. That’s a give away.

It’s pretty damn saddle shaped. That’s a give away too.

There’s ST depression in aVR. Hmmm.

That was what got me. Because Amal Mattu is such a good teacher I have a whole differential for ST elevation. And I remember that if there’s ST depression on an ECG with ST elevation then I’ve made my diagnosis – it’s a STEMI.

And at 4am  that’s what I remembered and what made me a little uncomfortable calling this as straightforward pericarditis.

I rang cardiology telling them I thought it was just pericarditis but I was a little concerned by the ST depression. They came and saw the patient and with no wall motion abnormality on echo and no evolution on serial ECGs they called it as pericarditis too.

Yes I’m a dumbass I know.

In pericarditis you’re allowed ST depression in V1 and aVR but nowhere else.

So did Dr Mattu teach us wrong?

Of course not. In fact I was there when he told me at ICEM 2012. I even tweeted it. So much for long term memory…

Lesson learned.

Check out the full video by Amal below: