Wellens' syndrome: Difference between revisions

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==Background==
==Background==
*T wave abnormality that is associated with critical LAD stenosis
*First described in 1982, a set of EKG changes specific for critical, proximal stenosis of LAD
**Finding can be transient (persists for hours after pain has resolved and then disappears)
**At risk for extensive anterior wall myocardial infarction due to proximal LAD stenosis<ref>de Zwaan C, Bär FW, Wellens HJ. Characteristic electrocardiographic pattern indicating a critical stenosis high in left anterior descending coronary artery in patients admitted because of impending myocardial infarction. Am Heart J. 1982;103(4 Pt 2):730-736.</ref>
**Preinfarction stage of [[ACS]] and heralds extensive anterior wall MI
***In the original study, a subset of patients fared poorly with medical management of “impending myocardial infarction”
***75% of patients with these findings will later develop anterior MI (if not treated with PCI)
**Characteristic EKG changes: T wave abnormality (2 types, shown below) associated with the stenosis<ref>Rhinehardt J, Brady WJ, Perron AD, Mattu A. Electrocardiographic manifestations of Wellens' syndrome. American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2002;20(7):638-643. doi:10.1053/ajem.2002.34800.</ref>
*Commonly described as a STEMI equivalent, but per the 2022 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway, it's instead categorized as an ischemic change<ref>2022 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway on the Evaluation and Disposition of Acute Chest Pain in the Emergency Department: A Report of the American College of Cardiology Solution Set Oversight Committee, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Volume 80, Issue 20,2022,Pages 1925-1960,ISSN 0735-1097.</ref>
**This is because patient is not currently having an MI; rather, it's a post-ischemic change


==Clinical Features==
==Clinical Features==
Refer to [[Myocardial infarction]]
*Symptoms of [[Myocardial infarction]] or ischemia
*May be pain free at presentation and time of ECG
*Symptoms have often resolved at presentation
*May have had previous recent episode of angina +/- associated symptoms
*May have previous recent episodes of [[angina]] or anginal equivalents
*Initial cardiac enzymes are frequently normal or only slightly elevated<ref>Ünlüer EE et al. Red Flags in Electrocardiogram for Emergency Physicians: Remembering Wellens' Syndrome and Upright T wave in V1. West J Emerg Med. 2012 May; 13(2): 160–162.</ref><ref>Kannan L and Figueredo VM. Wellens' Syndrome. Jan 1, 2015. N Engl J Med 372;1.</ref>
*Initial cardiac enzymes are frequently normal or slightly elevated<ref>Ünlüer EE et al. Red Flags in Electrocardiogram for Emergency Physicians: Remembering Wellens' Syndrome and Upright T wave in V1. West J Emerg Med. 2012 May; 13(2): 160–162.</ref><ref>Kannan L and Figueredo VM. Wellens' Syndrome. Jan 1, 2015. N Engl J Med 372;1.</ref>
*[[Cocaine]] may cause pseudo-Wellens due to vasospasm without critical stenosis<ref>Dhawan SS. Pseudo-Wellens’ syndrome after crack cocaine use. Can J Cardiol. 2008; 24(5):404.</ref>
*[[Cocaine]] use may cause pseudo-Wellens due to vasospasm without critical stenosis<ref>Dhawan SS. Pseudo-Wellens’ syndrome after crack cocaine use. Can J Cardiol. 2008; 24(5):404.</ref>


==Differential Diagnosis==
==Differential Diagnosis==
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*[[ECG (Basics)|RBBB]]
*[[ECG (Basics)|RBBB]]
*[[Hypokalemia]]
*[[Hypokalemia]]
*CNS Injury
*[[head injury|CNS Injury]]
*Persistent Juvenile T-wave pattern
*Persistent Juvenile T-wave pattern
*[[Digitalis Effect]]
*[[Digitalis Effect]]
*"Normal variant" STE with biphasic T-wave<ref>Wang, et al. ST-segment elevation in conditions other than acute myocardial infarction. NEJM 2003, 349:2128-2135.</ref>
*"Normal variant" STE with biphasic T-wave<ref>Wang, et al. ST-segment elevation in conditions other than acute myocardial infarction. NEJM 2003, 349:2128-2135.</ref>
**Common in young, healthy, black males
**Common in young, healthy, Black males
**Patterns that are NOT found in Wellen's
**Patterns that are NOT found in Wellen's
***High voltage complexes
***High voltage complexes
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==Evaluation==
==Evaluation==
#Biphasic T waves in leads V2-V3 OR symmetric, often deeply inverted T waves in V2-V3
*History of [[chest pain]]
#Prior history of chest pain (chest pain resolved)
**[[ECG]] may be normal during episode of pain
#Little or no cardiac enzyme elevation
*Normal or slightly-elevated [[cardiac enzymes]]
#No pathologic precordial Q waves  
*No precordial Q-waves
#Little or no ST-segment elevation  
*Isoelectric or <1mm [[ST elevation|ST-segment elevation]]
#No loss of precordial R waves
*Wellens' sign present in pain-free state
**Wellens' sign during pain-free state plus recent history of angina and normal to slightly elevated [[cardiac enzymes]] = Wellen's syndrome
**Findings can be transient (persists for hours after pain has resolved and then disappears)


Two T-wave Characteristics (at times terms are reversed in the literature or labeled Type I and II):
===Two T-wave Characteristics (at times terms are reversed in the literature or labeled Type I and II):===
*Type A (25%)
**Biphasic T-wave in V2/V3
*Type B (75%)
**Deep, symmetrically inverted T-waves in V2/V3


*Type A: Biphasic pattern - 25% - Biphasic T-waves (initial + deflection and terminal - deflection)
[[Image:Wellens.png]]
*Type B: Inversion pattern - 75% - Deeply inverted and symmetric T-waves
*IF there is acute occlusion MI, Wellens T wave patterns may normalize and convert to ST elevations
*Note Wellens criteria should not be applied to  patients with [[LVH]]


[[Image:Wellens.jpg]]
==Management==
 
*Treat similarly to MI, including antiplatelets and anticoagulation<ref>Miner B, Grigg WS, Hart EH. Wellens Syndrome. [Updated 2023 Jul 31]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-.</ref>
''Note Wellens criteria should not be diagnosed in a patetient with LVH.&nbsp;''
*Urgent cardiac catheterization is the definitive treatment
*Stress testing contraindicated
**Can precipitate an acute myocardial infarction and sudden death


==Management==
==Disposition==
*Urgent cardiac catheterization
*Admit


==See Also==
==See Also==
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==External Links==
==External Links==
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdnwIWu5HHg Mattu ECG Case - Wellens' Syndrome]
[https://litfl.com/wellens-syndrome-ecg-library/ LIFTL - Wellens Syndrome]
 
==Video==
{{#widget:YouTube|id=SgTJYu8b6dE}}


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 15:48, 16 September 2025

Background

  • First described in 1982, a set of EKG changes specific for critical, proximal stenosis of LAD
    • At risk for extensive anterior wall myocardial infarction due to proximal LAD stenosis[1]
      • In the original study, a subset of patients fared poorly with medical management of “impending myocardial infarction”
      • 75% of patients with these findings will later develop anterior MI (if not treated with PCI)
    • Characteristic EKG changes: T wave abnormality (2 types, shown below) associated with the stenosis[2]
  • Commonly described as a STEMI equivalent, but per the 2022 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway, it's instead categorized as an ischemic change[3]
    • This is because patient is not currently having an MI; rather, it's a post-ischemic change

Clinical Features

  • Symptoms of Myocardial infarction or ischemia
  • Symptoms have often resolved at presentation
  • May have previous recent episodes of angina or anginal equivalents
  • Initial cardiac enzymes are frequently normal or slightly elevated[4][5]
  • Cocaine use may cause pseudo-Wellens due to vasospasm without critical stenosis[6]

Differential Diagnosis

  • High voltage
  • PE
  • RBBB
  • Hypokalemia
  • CNS Injury
  • Persistent Juvenile T-wave pattern
  • Digitalis Effect
  • "Normal variant" STE with biphasic T-wave[7]
    • Common in young, healthy, Black males
    • Patterns that are NOT found in Wellen's
      • High voltage complexes
      • Notching at J-point ("fishhook")
      • Concave upward ST segment followed by steep drop in T wave

ST Elevation

Evaluation

  • History of chest pain
    • ECG may be normal during episode of pain
  • Normal or slightly-elevated cardiac enzymes
  • No precordial Q-waves
  • Isoelectric or <1mm ST-segment elevation
  • Wellens' sign present in pain-free state
    • Wellens' sign during pain-free state plus recent history of angina and normal to slightly elevated cardiac enzymes = Wellen's syndrome
    • Findings can be transient (persists for hours after pain has resolved and then disappears)

Two T-wave Characteristics (at times terms are reversed in the literature or labeled Type I and II):

  • Type A (25%)
    • Biphasic T-wave in V2/V3
  • Type B (75%)
    • Deep, symmetrically inverted T-waves in V2/V3

Wellens.png

  • IF there is acute occlusion MI, Wellens T wave patterns may normalize and convert to ST elevations
  • Note Wellens criteria should not be applied to patients with LVH

Management

  • Treat similarly to MI, including antiplatelets and anticoagulation[8]
  • Urgent cardiac catheterization is the definitive treatment
  • Stress testing contraindicated
    • Can precipitate an acute myocardial infarction and sudden death

Disposition

  • Admit

See Also

External Links

LIFTL - Wellens Syndrome

References

  1. ↑ de Zwaan C, Bär FW, Wellens HJ. Characteristic electrocardiographic pattern indicating a critical stenosis high in left anterior descending coronary artery in patients admitted because of impending myocardial infarction. Am Heart J. 1982;103(4 Pt 2):730-736.
  2. ↑ Rhinehardt J, Brady WJ, Perron AD, Mattu A. Electrocardiographic manifestations of Wellens' syndrome. American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2002;20(7):638-643. doi:10.1053/ajem.2002.34800.
  3. ↑ 2022 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway on the Evaluation and Disposition of Acute Chest Pain in the Emergency Department: A Report of the American College of Cardiology Solution Set Oversight Committee, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Volume 80, Issue 20,2022,Pages 1925-1960,ISSN 0735-1097.
  4. ↑ Ünlüer EE et al. Red Flags in Electrocardiogram for Emergency Physicians: Remembering Wellens' Syndrome and Upright T wave in V1. West J Emerg Med. 2012 May; 13(2): 160–162.
  5. ↑ Kannan L and Figueredo VM. Wellens' Syndrome. Jan 1, 2015. N Engl J Med 372;1.
  6. ↑ Dhawan SS. Pseudo-Wellens’ syndrome after crack cocaine use. Can J Cardiol. 2008; 24(5):404.
  7. ↑ Wang, et al. ST-segment elevation in conditions other than acute myocardial infarction. NEJM 2003, 349:2128-2135.
  8. ↑ Miner B, Grigg WS, Hart EH. Wellens Syndrome. [Updated 2023 Jul 31]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-.
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