Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Tuesday February 6, 2007

Q; Name atleast one other condition which can give rise to osborn wave (electrocardiographic J wave usually associated with hypothermia) ?

A; cocaine use

Osborn waves are famous for their association with hypothermia but there are many other conditions which can produce similar EKG 'j' wave findings under normothermia including cocaine use, haloperidol overdose, and left ventricular hypertrophy due to hypertension, after cardiac resuscitation and in severe hypercalcemia, cardiac ischemia and central nervous system injury.

Objective of this question is to understand that osborn wave is not a diagnostic of hypothermia and other conditions should be considered.


References: Click to get article/abstract

1. The Osborn wave of hypothermia in normothermic patients - Clin Cardiol.1994 May;17(5):273-6