Hypothermia resulting in characteristic ECG changes mimicking an acute myocardial infarction: Osborn waves and atrial fibrillation.

Hypothermia can cause several ECG changes which can be mistaken for other cardiac diseases, most importantly acute transmural ischaemia. These ECG changes correlate strongly with the degree of hypothermia and the prognosis of the patient. This brief report presents a 32-year-old male who was seen after a drowning accident. After resuscitation a 12-lead electrocardiogram showed changes typical for hypothermia: atrial fibrillation and Osborn waves. The ECG of the patient normalised after rewarming.