Wellens syndrome: An important consideration in patients with chest pain

Abstract

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the number one cause of death in the United States, and it is estimated that every 40 seconds one person experiences a heart attack. Among patients with chronic CAD, many will experience a potentially fatal complication known as acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Wellens syndrome is a rare form of ACS that indicates critical left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion and can be identified by its characteristic T-wave patterns on ECG. This syndrome also may go unrecognized by clinicians because of a lack of familiarity with the ECG findings. This article describes the Wellens ECG pattern and its significance in patients with chest pain.