Improving the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction.

The diagnosis of early myocardial infarction, especially in association with atypical clinical presentations, can be difficult to establish. Continued observation of high-risk patients, with multiple serial electrocardiographs and the use of other diagnostic modalities as available, is essential to prevent the inadvertent premature discharge of patients with evolving myocardial infarcts from the accident and emergency department.