Hyperkalaemia vs Hyperacute T Waves: An Experience

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of death in adults, with electrocardiograms (ECGs) being a crucial diagnostic tool.However, often, hyperacute T waves are overlooked, leading to delayed treatment.With this background, we describe a case of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), or high anion gap acidosis, diagnosed with ECG showing hyperacute T waves changes which were thought to be due to hyperkalaemia rather than ACS and treated for the same.Later, again ECG showed ST elevation in leads V1 and V4, followed by which immediately the patient was thrombolysed.These resulted in the delay in pain-to-door time.Emergency physicians must understand ECG changes to avoid delays and provide optimal patient care in life-threatening conditions like ACS, as a 10-minute delay can save 600 seconds in their terms.