Atypical Posterior Myocardial Infarction With Minimal Symptoms: Diagnostic Impact of Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Posterior myocardial infarction (PMI) is frequently under-recognised due to its non-classical electrocardiographic (ECG) presentation and variable symptom profile. We report a case of a 39-year-old male patient presenting with minimal chest pain and subtle ECG changes, in whom bedside point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) played a pivotal role in diagnosis. Despite an initial low-risk clinical impression and non-diagnostic ECG findings, POCUS revealed regional wall motion abnormalities, prompting urgent cardiology reassessment. Subsequent transthoracic echocardiography confirmed inferior wall hypokinesia, and coronary angiography identified a proximal right coronary artery lesion due to plaque erosion, requiring percutaneous coronary intervention. This case underscores the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion in atypical presentations and highlights the value of POCUS in early diagnosis, risk stratification, and timely clinical decision-making.

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Publication Details

Journal
Cureus
Published
2026-04-21
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.107446
Primary Topic
Ultrasound in Clinical Applications
Type
article
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article

Atypical Posterior Myocardial Infarction With Minimal Symptoms: Diagnostic Impact of Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Hamid Zafar, H. Ibrahim, Waleed Khalid Khalafallah Khalid, Saad Tariq Aziz
Cureus
Ultrasound in Clinical Applications
article

Atypical Posterior Myocardial Infarction With Minimal Symptoms: Diagnostic Impact of Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Hamid Zafar, H. Ibrahim, Waleed Khalid Khalafallah Khalid, Saad Tariq Aziz
article en

Abstract

Posterior myocardial infarction (PMI) is frequently under-recognised due to its non-classical electrocardiographic (ECG) presentation and variable symptom profile. We report a case of a 39-year-old male patient presenting with minimal chest pain and subtle ECG changes, in whom bedside point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) played a pivotal role in diagnosis. Despite an initial low-risk clinical impression and non-diagnostic ECG findings, POCUS revealed regional wall motion abnormalities, prompting urgent cardiology reassessment. Subsequent transthoracic echocardiography confirmed inferior wall hypokinesia, and coronary angiography identified a proximal right coronary artery lesion due to plaque erosion, requiring percutaneous coronary intervention. This case underscores the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion in atypical presentations and highlights the value of POCUS in early diagnosis, risk stratification, and timely clinical decision-making.

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Ultrasound in Clinical Applications
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