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Challenges in Clinical Electrocardiography
July 11, 2011

An Unusual Pattern of ST-Segment Elevation

Author Affiliations
 

SECTION EDITORS: JEFFREY TABAS, MD; PAUL D. VAROSY, MD; GREGORY M. MARCUS, MD; NORA GOLDSCHLAGER, MD

Arch Intern Med. 2011;171(13):1146. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.285

A 40-year-old man with methamphetamine-induced dilated cardiomyopathy was referred from clinic to the emergency department after having had an episode of chest pain during his clinic visit. The patient reported exertional chest discomfort, described as a pressure-like sensation accompanied by sweating. The discomfort resolved with rest and sublingual nitroglycerin. He admitted to recent methamphetamine use. His blood pressure was 136/70 mm Hg, and his heart rate was regular at 99 beats/min. The jugular venous pressure was mildly elevated, and an S3 gallop was audible at the apex. His initial troponin-I level was 0.10 ng/mL (normal, <0.10 ng/mL). An electrocardiogram (ECG) showed normal sinus rhythm and left ventricular hypertrophy with associated repolarization abnormalities.

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