Cardiologist Questions Echocardiogram (Ultrasound)

Can EKG show an old heart attack?

I'm 60 years old, and I recently had an EKG. My doctor told me after the test that I had an heart attack, of which that I didn't know about. My heart's slightly damaged from it. How is it possible for EKG to show an old heart attack?

2 Answers

it can indicate a POSSIBLE heart attack. The ECHO would confirm its truth. Many times, the ECG overcalls things like this. Maybe it's a normal variant. ECG's are a screening test and by definition are a highly sensitive exam which can generate false positive results.
Yes, there are some signs that can be seen on EKG which could be suggestive of old heart attack. EKG shows the travel of electrical impulses through the conduction system and the heart muscle and should the patient has any abnormality in the conduction system or the muscle that would result in an abnormality that can be detected by experienced eyes in an EKG.
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