News & Updates

Patients frequently ask me how I choose their tests and treatment. Tests, I say, confirm or exclude my clinical diagnoses. In addition, the result of a test should alter my decision making process for their care. I only suggest a treatment that will help them live longer, prevent something bad from happening, or make them […]

Cardiac diagnoses are common in the adult general practice setting. Obtaining an accurate cardiac diagnosis relies on three main aspects. These are: 1) a detailed history; 2) a comprehensive cardiac physical examination and; 3) an electrocardiogram. Learn how to perform an expert cardiac evaluation. Detailed Patient History In general, a cardiovascular history looks for four […]

A routine, preoperative electrocardiogram (ECG) is obtained on many patients over a certain age based on hospital and surgicenter protocols. If it is abnormal, then the task of ”cardiac clearance” falls on the cardiologist or primary provider. How does an abnormal ECG effect a patient’s preoperative evaluation? Preoperative Assessment Algorithm The preoperative assessment algorithm looks […]

The electrocardiogram (ECG) reads, “Acute Myocardial Infarction,” on the 29 year-old athletic man who comes in for a left biceps tendon tear after being in the weight room. “Now what,” thinks the ER doctor? Other electrocardiographic findings may mimic a myocardial infarction. Here I discuss some of them and what to think. ST and T […]

You look at an electrocardiogram (ECG) and it says “rSR prime in lead V1 or V2” or “borderline left axis deviation.” What does that mean and what do you do? You’re not alone! Many healthcare professionals encounter common, yet puzzling ECG findings that can be challenging to interpret and manage. In this article, I’ll review […]

Why Should You Be Able To Identify Common ECG Errors? Even though computerized electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretations are fairly reliable, they still do not obviate the need for human confirmation.1 In the setting of technical or set up errors, the computer should never be expected to come up with the correct diagnosis. Every person who interprets […]

Yearly, medical students come to me and ask, “Why do I need to learn how to read an ECG?” This is often followed by “What is the best and easiest way to learn to read them?” For a cardiologist, the answer is simple, “This is what I do for a living.” For the average medical […]