Therefore, the ECG
reflects with remarkable precision both acute coronary ischemia
(16) and the effects of progressively increasing levels of extracellular
potassium (17) on modifying the ST segment and T wave.
In fact, acute coronary ischemia and hyperkalaemia are included
in the differential electrocardiographic diagnosis when such
modifications (18) take place. Rarely do they present a diagnostic
problem, since coronary ischemia and hyperkalaemia take place
in quite different contexts and are easily identifiable. Only in
the case of them occurring at the same time (acute coronary
ischemia during hyperkalaemia) could they affect the ECG waves
and, possibly, provoke the appearance of arrhythmias.