UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Cardiology

Title: AMI, AMS, and elderly

Keywords: myocardial infarction, delirium, confusion (PubMed Search)

Posted: 11/23/2008 by Amal Mattu, MD (Updated: 3/29/2024)
Click here to contact Amal Mattu, MD

Have you seen any elderly patients with altered mental status (AMS) lately? How quickly did you get an ECG on those patients? Elderly patients often present with mental status changes when they develop cardiac ischemia or acute MI, and this is especially common in the oldest of the elder group. Up to one-quarter of patients > 85 yo with myocardial infarction will present to the ED with delirium or confusion. Get the ECG early on these patients...remember, time is muscle! The delay can be deadly.