Electrocardiographic abnormalities in a patient with subarachnoid haemorrhage.
A 69-year-old woman presented after collapsing. She denied chest pain, breathlessness or headache. She was afebrile and vital signs were unremarkable. She was confused but the remaining physical examination was unremarkable. Routine blood tests were unremarkable. Cardiac enzymes were raised with a troponin I of 0.54. ECG showed Q waves in leads V1-V3 and widespread T wave inversion in leads II, III, aVF and V1-V6. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) was suspected and antiplatelet treatment started. The following day her confusion worsened. Further review of the ECG found extensive changes unexplained by occlusion of a single artery suggesting extra-cardiac pathology. An urgent CT head was arranged and revealed subarachnoid haemorrhage. ACS treatment was stopped and she was transferred to neurosurgery where her right posterior communicating artery aneurysm was coiled. Fortunately her recovery was uneventful and she was discharged home with no neurological impairment.
Department of Cardiology, Victoria Hospital, Fife, UK. indranisb@doctors.org.uk
I S
IS
Bhattacharya
D
D
Sandeman
M
M
Dweck
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S
McKie
M
M
Francis
D000368:Aged; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*