What Does My ECG Report Indicate?

Posted on Fri, 13 Mar 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 13 Mar 2015 Answered on

Mon, 30 Mar 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi, I have an EKG that I'd like for a cardiologist to review.

Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (-4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Your medical history is needed!

Detailed Answer:
Hello! Thank you for asking on HCM! Regarding your ECG there appear changes in inferior leads D2, D3 and aVF suggestive of myocardial ischemia and probable prior myocardial infarction (if no incorrect limb electrode placements have been done; I am suspicious about positive R wave in aVR). I would like to make some correlation with your prior medical history. ECG reading is useless without medical history. Could you tell me if you have experienced prior chest pain or any confirmed heart attack? When dealing with ECG interpretations it is necessary to correlate with the clinical scenario, as ECG may confirm, but cannot exclude ischemic problems. In addition pulmonary issues are needed to recognise. Please tell me about your complains!
Hope to have been helpful! Greetings! Dr. Iliri

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Ilir Sharka (2 hours later)

Hell Dr. Iliri, thank you for the quick response. I had a heart attack in January of 2014 and received a stent in the right coronary artery. I am on 12.5mg of Metoprolol twice a day and I take Plavix 75mg and Aspirin 81mg once a day. I used to take statins but that resulted in severe side effects (pain in the ribs). I have frequent gastritis which sometimes feels like a heart attack. The EKG yu saw was the only one after the surgery that raised an alert in my EKG device (CardioSecur). All subsequent readings today have been normal, according to the CardioSecur software. What scared was seeing my heart rate drop to 54 during that reading, but then it came back up.
Cheers, XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (18 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You are keeping the right way.

Detailed Answer:
Hello again Andrew! I am glad to hear that you feel OK and your ECG appears normal (according to CardioSecur). It sounds good that you care about your clinical situation repeatedly and check your ECG. The only advice I would like to give is to not worry prematurely when the machine conclusions are unpleasant. ECG machines, even the more sophisticated ones, have rigid software and will never substitute clinical judgements, instead they are complementary.
The best thing that I like to emphasize is your commitment regarding health issues. Just keep walking in the right way. My best wishes! Dr. Iliri

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T