What does horizontal ST depression mean?

What does horizontal ST depression mean?

ST segment depressions caused by ischemia are characterized by a horizontal or downsloping ST segment. Indeed, North American and European guidelines assert that the ST segment must be either downsloping or horizontal; otherwise ischemia is unlikely to be the cause of the ST segment depression.

What does 1mm horizontal ST segment depression indicate?

Numerous studies,1–13 including two from our laboratory,1,2 have shown that a horizontal or downsloping ST-segment depression ≥1 mm in response to exercise is a powerful harbinger for future coronary events (CE), ie, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction (MI), or sudden cardiac death, in an apparently healthy …

What causes reciprocal ST depression?

Reciprocal ST segment depression The causes of reciprocal change are thought to be secondary to coexisting distant ischaemia, a manifestation of infarct extension, or an electrophysiological phenomenon caused by displacement of the injury current vector away from the non-infarcted myocardium.

What is junctional ST depression?

Junctional depression is a frequent electrocardio- graphic finding during graded exercise testing. This pattern may be the precursor of a positive test during exercise or in the recovery period; occasionally it is the only electrocardiographic finding during the test.

What does ST depression mean on a stress test?

Objective: The electrocardiogram (ECG) obtained during stress testing often shows a typical pattern of primary ST depression. A similar pattern can occur in unstable angina. Current textbooks consider ST depression as a direct result of partial occlusion of a coronary artery.

Is ST segment depression normal?

ST segment depression of 1 mm or more, lasting 0.08 second or more, is generally considered a positive (abnormal) response. False-negative (normal) results can occur, however, in patients with ischemic heart disease and false-positive results can occur in normal people.

What causes ST depression 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 does ST depression mean for the heart?

ST depression occurs when the J point is displaced below baseline. Just like ST elevation, not all ST depression represents myocardial ischemia or an emergent condition. There are multiple conditions associated with ST depression. Some of these include hypokalemia, cardiac ischemia, and medications such as digitalis.

Can anxiety cause ST depression?

Anxiety-related ECG changes Frank ST depression; not rare, especially in hyperventilation.

How serious is ST depression?

Conclusions: In unstable coronary artery disease, ST-segment depression is associated with a 100% increase in the occurrence of three-vessel/left main disease and to an increased risk of subsequent cardiac events. In these patients an early invasive strategy substantially decreases death/myocardial infarction.

What does a depressed ST segment mean?

ST depression refers to a finding on an electrocardiogram, wherein the trace in the ST segment is abnormally low below the baseline.

Is ST depression serious?

ST depression in ECG at entry indicates severe coronary lesions and large benefits of an early invasive treatment strategy in unstable coronary artery disease.