Postural Electrocardiographic Changes in Healed Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

An electrocardiographic study of 110 patients with old myocardial infarction was made. Change of posture, by causing rotation of the heart on its axes, frequently altered the evidence of infarction. These changes were most evident in posterior infarction. The "labeled" area did the following with respect to the exploring electrode: (1) disappeared, (2) if absent in the supine posture, the evidence appeared in one or more of the other postures, and (3) shifted from one exploring electrode position to another.