Anterior MI ECG - Anterior STEMI - Review and Criteria

The ECG findings of an old anterior wall myocardial infarction include:

1) Loss of “anterior forces” leaving Q waves in leads V1 and V2. This is related to "poor R wave progression" or PRWP, however different.

Note: To distinctly say that an old anterior wall myocardial infarction is present on the ECG, there must be no identifiable R wave in lead V1 and usually V2 as well. If there is an R wave in V1 or V2, the term PRWP can be used, but not an old anterior wall myocardial infarction.

2) Rarely, persistent ST elevation may be seen in V1 and/or V2 indicating a left ventricular aneurysm which is a known complication of a myocardial infarction.

	Anterior MI ECG Anterior MI ECG - STEMI (Example 1) Anterior MI ECG - STEMI (Example 2) Anterior MI ECG - STEMI (Example 3) Anterior MI ECG - STEMI (Example 4) Anterior MI ECG - STEMI (Example 5) Anterior MI ECG - STEMI (Example 6) Anterior Wall ST elevation MI with RBBB (Example) Old Anterior Wall MI (Example) An anterior wall myocardial infarction (AWMI or anterior STEMI) occurs when anterior myocardial tissue usually supplied by the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) suffers injury due to lack of blood supply. When an AWMI extends to the septal and lateral regions as well, the culprit lesion is usually more proximal in the LAD or even in the left main coronary artery. This large anterior myocardial infarction is termed an "extensive anterior". The ECG findings of an acute AWMI include: 1) ST segment elevation in the anterior leads (V3 and V4) and sometimes in septal and lateral leads depending on the extent of the myocardial infarction. This ST elevation is concave downward and frequently overwhelms the T wave. This is called "tombstoning" due to the similarity to the shape of a tombstone. 2) Reciprocal ST segment depression in the inferior leads (II, III and aVF). The ECG findings of an old anterior wall myocardial infarction include: 1) Loss of “anterior forces” leaving Q waves in leads V1 and V2. This is related to "poor R wave progression" or PRWP, however different. Note: To distinctly say that an old anterior wall myocardial infarction is present on the ECG, there must be no identifiable R wave in lead V1 and usually V2 as well. If there is an R wave in V1 or V2, the term PRWP can be used, but not an old anterior wall myocardial infarction. 2) Rarely, persistent ST elevation may be seen in V1 and/or V2 indicating a left ventricular aneurysm which is a known complication of a myocardial infarction.
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