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Prediction of left main coronary artery (LMCA) or equivalent disease is important with regard to selecting the appropriate treatment strategy. The classical electrocardiographic pattern of LMCA disease includes ST elevation (STE) in lead aVR in the presence of extensive ST depression (most prominent in leads I, II, and V4–6) with the STE in aVR ≥ V1. Patients with these findings may potentially require early coronary angiography and coronary bypass surgery; therefore selected patients with these findings on exercise testing might benefit from more urgent or expedited angiography.

Calcified nodules in human coronary arteries are usually focally distributed. Non-invasive imaging of coronary arteries by bedside emergency transthoracic echocardiography in adults is possible and may become a useful adjunct to other methods of coronary artery examination. Coronary artery stenosis can be identified as localized color aliasing and accelerated flow velocities. Complete visualization of individual ostial coronary segments might ease the demonstration of coronary stenosis by bedside transthoracic echocardiography. The left main coronary artery stenosis requires prompt emergency evaluation and treatment because emergency conditions have higher mortality rates. The authors wish to emphasize the usefulness of emergency bedside echo-Doppler for a prompt diagnosis and treatment of this life-threatening condition.