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Journal of the National Medical Association logoLink to Journal of the National Medical Association
. 2005 Nov;97(11):1539–1540.

Inverted T waves in patient with Addisonian crisis.

Firat Ozcan 1, Ihsan Ustun 1, Dilek Berker 1, Yusuf Aydin 1, Tuncay Delibasi 1, Serdar Guler 1
PMCID: PMC2594907  PMID: 16334501

Abstract

Addisonian crisis represents a state of acute adrenocortical insufficiency and occurs in patient with Addison's disease who are exposed to stress of infection, surgery, trauma, vomiting and diarrhea. We present a case with a 39-year-old female patient who admitted to the hospital with Addisonian crisis and, interestingly, her electrocardiograph showed ST depression and inverted T waves on inferior and V4-V6 leads. She did not have a history of angina pectoris and coronary artery disease, and her cardiac enzymes were normal. Exercise stress testing and echocardiographic assessment revealed normal findings. When faced with such a patient who has hypotension and ischemic ECG changes without having underlying angina, Addisonian crisis should be considered in differential diagnosis.

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Selected References

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