Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Q wave MI
Introduction
Overview
Q waves represent areas of electrically inert tissue following either ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction or Non ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction.
Q wave MI in the past has been taken to be synonymous with ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction, but this is incorrect in so far as not all ST Elevation Myocardial Infarctions evolve a Q wave, and because Q waves can be secondary to a Non ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]