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Electrocardiography in different types of hypertrophic cardiomyopathies
Insights
Electrocardiograms (ECGs) show common alterations in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCMP), but cannot fully determine myocardial hypertrophy extent. ECG is primarily a screening tool for HCMP.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) findings in hypertrophic cardiomyopathies (HCMP) were noted early, but understanding was limited.
- ECG alterations in HCMP have been documented, though their correlation with morphological changes requires further analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze ECG findings in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- To correlate ECG observations with morphological data obtained via echocardiography and catheterization.
Main Methods:
- ECG recordings were performed on 76 patients diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- Echocardiography and catheterization were used for morphological assessment.
Main Results:
- Only 3.9% of patients had normal ECGs; most showed left ventricular hypertrophy (63.2%).
- Common findings included ST-T abnormalities (86.7%), absence of 'q' wave in V5,6 (48.8%), and pathological Q waves (23.7%).
- Pathological Q waves correlated with right ventricular hypertrophy, and deep T waves were noted in the apical form.
Conclusions:
- ECG cannot precisely quantify the presence or extent of myocardial hypertrophy.
- ECG serves as a valuable screening method for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in most patients.
Abstract:
Alterations in ECG in hypertrophic cardiomyopathies (HCMP) have been described already earlier when the knowledge of HCMP was not so profound. The aim of this work was to analyse ECG findings in hypertrophic myelopathy and to determine their relation to morphological observations. 76 patients examined echocardiographically with catheterization were performed ECG recordings. Normal ECG had 3 patients (3.9%). In the rest of them electrocardiography confirmed left ventricular hypertrophy (63.2%), large R wave in V1(-3) (14.5%), diminishing of R wave in V1(-3) (28.9%), pathologic Q wave (23.7%), absence of "q" wave in V5,6 (48.8%), ST-T abnormalities (86.7%). Pathologic Q wave was found more often in patients with right ventricular hypertrophy, deep T waves (greater than 10 mm) currently occurred in apical form. It follows that the presence and the range of myocardial hypertrophy cannot be electrocardiographically recorded. Therefore the ECG is applied in great majority of patients only as a screening method.