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Question:
Does "possible anterior infarct, age undetermined" mean I may have had a heart attack?
My EKG results concluded: Normal sinus rhythm, possible anterior infarct, age undetermined, abnormal ECG. I am a 49 year old female. I'm not overweight (128 lbs, 5'6"). I recently had the EKG (my first) because of upcoming minor surgery. There is heart disease in my family. Does "possible anterior infarct, age undetermined" mean I may have had a heart attack? Should I be overly concerned? What else could cause this abnormality? Thank you.
submitted by Lisa from Weirton, West Virginia 4/22/2014
Answer:
by Texas Heart Institute cardiologist, Patrick J. Cook, MD
While these ECG results COULD truly signify an old [previous] myocardial infarction, i.e., heart attack/MI, this result also could be seen in normal hearts. Ask your doctor. If there remains some question, an echocardiogram can distinguish between an old MI and a normal heart.
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Updated April 2014