Benign persistent T-wave inversion mimicking ischemia after left bundle-branch block--cardiac memory.
The electrocardiographic presence of deep T-wave inversions in a patient presenting with chest pain is highly concerning for cardiac ischemia. There are certain situations, however, when this finding may represent a benign phenomenon. In this report, we illustrate a case of non- ischemia-related T-wave inversion after resolution of a rate-related left bundle-branch block pattern--a case of cardiac memory. This poorly understood process occurs when the heart resumes a sinus rhythm after a period of abnormal depolarization, typically a bundle-branch block or ventricular pacing. The precordial leads in these patients will demonstrate alarmingly deep, symmetrical T-wave inversions. As our case demonstrates, however, this finding is an expected consequence of the antecedent aberrant conduction pattern and has no correlation with the presence of ongoing myocardial ischemia.
Byrne
Richard
R
Department of Emergency Medicine, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ 08103, USA.
Filippone
Lisa
L
D002037:Bundle-Branch Block / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology