A nurse is reviewing a patient's electrocardiogram (EKG) and notes that the T waves appear inverted. The nurses suspect which of the following as the most likely condition?
Explanation
•Inverted or depressed T waves on the patient's EKG indicate tissue ischemia or decreased oxygen to the tissues.
Incorrect options:
•Myocardial infarction typically manifests as changes to the ST segment of the patient's EKG, not the T wave.
•Hypertension is a condition that cannot be directly seen on the patient's EKG. Because of this, changes to the T waves cannot be linked to hypertension.
•Hyperkalemia is an elevated serum potassium level. This electrolyte imbalance typically causes peaked T waves, not inverted T waves.