Final answer:
An ST-segment elevation on an ECG is the expected change to confirm the diagnosis of an acute myocardial infarction in a patient with crushing chest pain. This is the hallmark sign of a STEMI, which is a type of heart attack where the heart muscle is significantly deprived of blood.
Step-by-step explanation:
Diagnosis of Acute Myocardial Infarction through ECG Changes
To confirm the diagnosis of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), also known as a heart attack, in a patient with symptoms such as crushing chest pain, one would expect to see an ST-segment elevation on an electrocardiogram (ECG).
This type of ECG change is associated with a ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI), which indicates that a significant portion of the heart muscle is being deprived of blood due to a blocked coronary artery.
Other ECG changes that can be seen during an MI include T-wave inversion, QRS complex widening, and P-wave flattening. However, the classic and most clinically significant change for diagnosing an acute MI is the ST-segment elevation.