Which heart condition may show inverted T waves on an ECG?

Inverted T waves on an ECG are primarily associated with myocardial ischemia, which refers to a decrease in blood flow and oxygen to the heart muscle. When the heart muscle does not receive enough oxygen, it can lead to changes in its electrical activity, reflected by the presence of inverted T waves. This alteration indicates that the heart muscle is experiencing stress or damage, often due to conditions like angina or an impending myocardial infarction (heart attack).

While conditions such as congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation can cause various changes on an ECG, they do not typically present with inverted T waves as a direct result of the heart's ischemic state. A normal variant can also be seen in certain populations, but it generally does not carry clinical significance like inverted T waves associated specifically with myocardial ischemia. Therefore, myocardial ischemia is the condition most commonly linked with this ECG finding.