Electrocardiographic finding simulating acute myocardial infarction in a compound metabolic aberration.

A patient with hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, hypophosphatemia, and hypomagnesemia/hypocalcemia is described. Electrocardiography demonstrated the pattern of acute anterior myocardial infarction. Further evaluation revealed that the patient had not actually had the acute myocardial infarction and that the electrocardiographic change was a mere simulation. The possible role of hypomagnesemia in the pathogenesis of the electrocardiographic change and the interrelation between the metabolic disturbances noted are discussed.