[History and perspectives of electro-vectorcardiography]

A panoramic view of the development of electrovectorcardiography from its beginnings until the present is reported. The functional essence of this exploratory method is emphasized and the basic steps of its evolution are described: the bipolar or differential leads in the beginning, the distal unipolar leads and the initial vectorcardiography in the 30s, the proximal unipolar leads in the 40s, the His electrograms and intracavitary and thoracic mapping in the 60s and later, the continuous records on a magnetic band. The evolution from Einthoven's original electrocardiograph to the modern apparatus of direct inscription and cathode-ray oscillographs is also described. Finally, the contribution of the Mexican School to a rational approach to electrovectorcardiography and clarification of some aspects of myocardial electrophysiopathology is presented.