Key result
Shark fin ECG pattern is linked to extremely high in-hospital mortality from fatal arrhythmias.
Why the study?
The shark fin ECG pattern is a distinctive manifestation of STEMI associated with poor in-hospital prognosis and risk of sudden cardiac death in ischemic and non-ischemic patients.
Case Report (n=3)
The 'shark fin' ECG pattern is a rare but ominous sign associated with a very high risk of ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death, necessitating prompt and aggressive intervention.
May warrant arrhythmia vigilance in shark fin ECG; hypothesis-generating for prediction across ischemic and non-ischemic patients.
Background: The “shark fin” pattern, also known as a triangular QRS–ST–T waveform, is a distinctive electrocardiographic (ECG) manifestation of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). It is characterized by a triangular morphology resulting from the fusion of the QRS complex, ST segment, and T wave.Case Illustration: We present a case series of three patients exhibiting the “shark fin” ECG pattern. Two patients were adults with a history of ischemic heart disease, while one was a 19-year-old male with no significant past medical history. One adult patient was treated with thrombolytic therapy, and the other underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. One of the adult patients and the young patient developed malignant arrhythmias and subsequently experienced sudden cardiac death.Conclusion: The “shark fin” ECG pattern is associated with a poor in-hospital prognosis, including an increased risk of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in both ischemic and non-ischemic patients. When this pattern is identified, prompt and aggressive management is essential to improve patient survival.
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Guyanto et al. (2025) conducted a case report in Acute myocardial infarction and ventricular fibrillation (n=3). Shark fin ECG pattern was evaluated on In-hospital prognosis (ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death). The 'shark fin' ECG pattern was associated with an extremely poor in-hospital prognosis, with two out of three patients experiencing fatal ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death.
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