What Does An EKG Show During A Heart Attack?

Dr. Steven Nissen answers the question: 'EKG During A Heart Attack?'

By
Steven Nissen, M.D., Chairman, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic
November 19, 2008, 4:31 PM ET
1 min read

— -- Question: What does an EKG show during a heart attack?

Answer: During a heart attack, an EKG shows very specific changes, and there's a segment of the electrocardiogram where the changes are very striking.

We call it ST elevation, and it's a segment in the electrocardiogram where there is a very abrupt change. Nothing else commonly causes it.

And if you have that, we call that an ST elevation heart attack. And those are the types of heart attacks that are the most damaging and that require immediate treatment in order to reduce the risk of death.

Next: What Do Blood Tests Show During A Heart Attack?

Previous: What Tests Are Done To Diagnose An Actual Heart Attack?