2011, Number 3
Rev Mex Cardiol 2011; 22 (3)
Early repolarization. Normal or dangerous?
Antonio González Chávez; Nevid Jiménez; Héctor Hernández y Hernández; Gustavo Solache Ortiz
ABSTRACT
The electrocardiographic diagnosis is a challenge for the physician. There are a variety of pathological conditions with electrocardiographic presentation itself, some worst than others. Likewise, there are some variants of the normal electrocardiogram that cannot be considered diseases because they do not translate to patient clinical condition or endanger their life or functionality of any of its organs. The early repolarization manifests electrocardiographically as a positive slope of the J point and ST elevation concave on some leads, especially in leads V1 to V3. For decades it has been considered as a benign variant, a normal finding, but in recent years this view has tended to change as its presentation has been associated with an increased prevalence of rhythm disorders and increased cardiovascular mortality. It is of great importance to be familiar with the term for identify him, especially in the context of an emergency room or hospitalization, to make differential diagnosis with other entities, especially myocardial infarction, and not terminate the patient´s approach in the moment of the diagnosis. Health care team must schedule a series of assessments and subsequent monitoring by the possibility that the patient develops other cardiovascular manifestations, such arrhythmias and even sudden death.