Publication:

Temporary cardiac pacing induced electrocardiographic changes simulating myocardial infarction

Temporary transvenous pacing is an immediate lifesaving measure in patients with Stokes-Adams syndrome and in patients with symptomatic bradycardia. Bradyarrhythmias are known to occur in acute myocardial infarction. But in a paced heart, it is difficult to diagnose myocardial infarction from electrocardiogram (ECG) because pacemaker rhythm causes distortion of natural wave forms. On the other hand, remarkable T wave inversions and ST depressions do occur in the ventricular paced ECG as secondary changes. The case report describes a patient who developed profound de novo T wave inversions and ST depressions in the unpaced ECG following temporary transvenous pacing simulating MI.