08/09/2025
Just Do the 12-Lead: How Sneaky Cardiac Calls Can Fool You
There’s a moment that lives rent-free in my brain: a patient, mid-60s, pale and diaphoretic, insisting their only complaint is “a little indigestion.” No chest pain, no radiation, nothing textbook. My gut said something was off, so I slapped on a 12-lead.
STEMI. Right there, plain as day.
That moment taught me a lesson I’ll never forget: when in doubt, just do the 12-lead.
Cardiac Doesn’t Always Look Cardiac
We train for the “classic” presentation—substernal chest pain, radiating to the left arm, nausea, diaphoresis. And yes, sometimes it really is that clean.
But often, it isn’t.
Cardiac problems can show up as:
Epigastric discomfort
Fatigue or generalized weakness
Shortness of breath without chest pain
Syncope or near-syncope
Jaw, neck, or back pain
Nausea or unexplained anxiety
And yes – sometimes event just a gut feeling that something isn’t right.
(TO BE CONTINUED— Head to or Website!)
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