Wellen′s syndrome: An ominous EKG pattern

Abstract

Wellen′s syndrome is a characteristic T-wave on an electrocardiogram during a pain-free period in a patient with intermittent chest pain. This finding suggests a high-degree stenosis of the proximal left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery that will soon result in an acute anterior wall myocardial infarction (MI) if the patient is not urgently catheterized and the occlusion opened. This case report discusses a young male patient with no known cardiac disease with an EKG that demonstrates the classic Wellen′s T-waves. He was urgently taken to cardiac catheterization and his 95% proximal LAD stenosis was reduced via drug-eluding stent. Through knowledge of Wellen′s T-waves, more anterior wall MIs can be prevented.

Keywords

• Inverted T-waves
• proximal left anterior descending stenosis
• Wellens′ syndrome