[Heart damage after electric injury]

Death from electrical accident due to low voltage (220 Volt/380 Volt) is usually caused by ventricular fibrillation. In humans who sustain non fatal electrical injury abnormal ECG findings due to myocardial damage are rare. 243 (76%) of 320 ECGs of survivors of an electrical accident were diagnosed as normal. In 42 patients (13%) unspecific electrographic changes were seen and in 35 (11%) abnormal ECGs were found. In comparison to findings in normal populations no significant accumulation of ECG changes was observed. A causal relationship between abnormal ECG findings and electrical accident is only then probable if ECG abnormalities are documented immediately after injury and serial ECG controls demonstrate significant changes in comparison to the initial abnormality.