Non ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Diagnosis



Associate Editor-In-Chief:

Electrolyte and Biomarker Studies
If there is an elevation of a marker of myocardial necrosis (CK-MB or troponin), then the patient does not have unstable angina, but instead has a syndrome of either ST elevation MI or Non ST elevation MI depending upon the EKG changes.

Electrocardiogram
The resting electrocardiogram may show either
 * 1) No changes
 * 2) Flipped T waves
 * 3) ST Depression as shown to the right. ST depression carries the poorest prognosis.

Chest X Ray
A Chest X Ray is critical to aid in the exclusion of aortic dissection.

A mediastinal mass consistent with a cancer may be present, but it is unlikely to present with a syndrome of accelerating chest pain.

Cardiovascular

 * Acute Aortic Dissection
 * Acute Coronary Syndrome
 * Angina
 * Aortic Aneurysm
 * Aortic Stenosis
 * Arryhthmias
 * Bland-White-Garland Syndrome
 * Cardiac tamponade
 * Cor pulmonale
 * Coronary Heart Disease
 * Dressler's syndrome (postpericardiotomy)
 * Functional cardiac problems
 * Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
 * Mitral valve prolapse
 * Myocarditis
 * Non ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction
 * Pericardial tamponade
 * Pericarditis
 * ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction