What does St-T wave changes mean?
Background: Nonspecific ST and T wave abnormalities (NSSTTA) on resting ECGs are associated with increased cardiovascular risk, and portend similar hazard ratios to traditional risk factors, such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus (DM).
Are nonspecific ST-T wave changes bad?
In the standard surface ECG, nonspecific ST-segment and T-wave (ST-T) changes are a common finding. Recently, a majority of studies have indicated that nonspecific ST-T abnormalities are significantly associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
What does an abnormal T wave on an ECG mean?
The electrocardiographic T wave represents ventricular repolarization. Abnormalities of the T wave are associated with a broad differential diagnosis and can be associated with life-threatening disease or provide clues to an otherwise obscure illness.
What is a ST segment T wave?
The ST segment encompasses the region between the end of ventricular depolarization and beginning of ventricular repolarization on the ECG. In other words, it corresponds to the area from the end of the QRS complex to the beginning of the T wave.
What causes ST changes on ECG?
The ST Segment represents the interval between ventricular depolarization and repolarization. The most important cause of ST segment abnormality (elevation or depression) is myocardial ischaemia or infarction.
What is nonspecific ST abnormality in ECG?
Maybe the T wave is flat, oddly-shaped or inverted. Maybe the ST segment is coved, very minimally-depressed or shows some J point elevation. These are referred to as “non-specific” T wave and ST segment changes on the ECG because they are simply not specifically signaling any medical condition.
What does ST segment represent in ECG?
The ST segment is that portion of the ECG cycle from the end of the QRS complex to the beginning of the T wave (Fig. 2-10). It represents the beginning of ventricular repolarization.
What is happening in the heart during the ST segment?
The ST segment, which is also known as the ST interval, is the time between the end of the QRS complex and the start of the T wave. It reflects the period of zero potential between ventricular depolarization and repolarization.
What happens during the ST segment?
The ST segment reflects the midportion, or phase 2, of repolarization during little change in electrical potential. It is usually isoelectric. Ischemia causes a loss of intracellular potassium, resulting in a current of injury. With subendocardial injury, the ST segment is depressed in the surface leads.
What is “ST segment”?
The ST segment is the flat, isoelectric section of the ECG between the end of the S wave (the J point) and the beginning of the T wave. The ST Segment represents the interval between ventricular depolarization and repolarization. The ST Segment represents the interval between ventricular depolarization and repolarization. The most important cause of ST segment abnormality (elevation or depression) is myocardial ischaemia or infarction.
What do Tall T waves indicate?
Tall or “tented” symmetrical T waves may indicate hyperkalemia. One of the earliest electrocardiographic finding of acute myocardial infarction is sometimes the hyperacute T wave, which can be distinguished from hyperkalemia by the broad base and slight asymmetry.
What causes elevated T waves on an EKG?
Causes Of T Wave Abnormality On ECG. Pathological causes include: Ventricular hypertrophy. Strain on ventricles can cause T wave inversion. Pre-excitation syndrome is a condition in which the ventricles partially contract prematurely. T wave inversion is often present in this condition.
What is a nonspecific T wave?
NONSPECIFIC ST-T WAVE CHANGES. Nonspecific ST-T wave changes are very common and may be seen in any lead of the electrocardiogram. The changes may be seen in all or most of the leads (diffuse changes), or they may be present contiguous leads, such as the inferior, lateral, or anterior leads.