Wellens syndrome
Wellens syndrome
[wel´enz]a group of signs indicating critical proximal stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery in patients with unstable angina at a time when there is no pain. It consists of normal or minimally elevated cardiac enzyme levels; little or no elevation of the ST segment; no loss of precordial R waves; and progressive, deep, symmetrical inversion of the T waves, particularly in leads V1 and V2 (though not confined to these leads).
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.
Wellens syndrome
(wel′ĕn) [Hein J.J. Wellens, contemporary Dutch cardiologist]
The electrocardiographic (ECG) signs of impending occlusion of the left main or left anterior descending coronary artery. ECG shows an inverted symmetrical T wave with little or no associated change of the ST segment or R wave. Inversion appears principally in the V leads. The finding identifies patients who are at risk for an extensive myocardial infarction.
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