Vectorcardiographic Studies in Acquired Valvular Disease with Reference to the Diagnosis of Right Ventricular Hypertrophy

Abstract

The orthogonal vectorcardiogram described by Schmitt and Simonson has been studied in 37 patients with "pure" mitral stenosis.

The diagnosis of right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) could be established from changes in the magnitude, azimuth, and elevations of the initial, middle, and terminal forces, which could not be detected by the routine 12-lead electrocardiogram. This type of [see figure in the PDF file] recording has proved to be of great value in the diagnosis of right ventricular hypertrophy, particularly when the hypertrophy is of mild or moderate degree. Analysis of the instantaneous vectors has proved to be the single most important criterion in the electrocardiographic diagnosis of right ventricular hypertrophy.