Electrocardiographic changes in acute cholecystitis

The syndrome of abdominal fullness and nausea, diaphoresis, chest pain, and ECG changes long has been associated with impending myocardial infarction. For a few patients, however, a working diagnosis of coronary ischemia is seen to be inaccurate on further testing, including stress testing and cardiac catheterization. Acute cholecystitis may cause a clinical picture similar to that of cardiac ischemia. The ECG changes that may occur in acute cholecystitis, the possible basis for these changes, and their clinical implications are discussed in this article.