Relationship of fibrillatory waves and P waves in the electrocardiogram

The amplitude of the fibrillatory waves and the P terminal force were compared in 100 consecutive patients. These electrocardiographic measures of atrial activity were made first in atrial fibrillation and then after electrical conversion to sinus rhythm. When the same patient was studied, the occur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCirculation (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 33; no. 4; pp. 599 - 606
Main Authors Peter, R H, Morris, Jr, J J, McIntosh, H D
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.04.1966
Subjects
Electrocardiography
Heart Septal Defects, Atrial - diagnosis
Humans
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Summary:The amplitude of the fibrillatory waves and the P terminal force were compared in 100 consecutive patients. These electrocardiographic measures of atrial activity were made first in atrial fibrillation and then after electrical conversion to sinus rhythm. When the same patient was studied, the occurrence of a coarse fibrillatory wave and an abnormal P terminal force, or a fine fibrillatory wave and a normal P terminal force, was found to be a highly significant relationship. This relationship suggests that the factors responsible for the characteristic of the terminal portion of the P wave recorded in sinus rhythm probably determine the magnitude of the fibrillatory wave that occurs when atrial fibrillation is present. The finding of a coarse fibrillatory wave or an abnormal P terminal force should suggest the electrocardiographic diagnosis of left atrial hypertrophy or "strain."
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:0009-7322
1524-4539
DOI:10.1161/01.cir.33.4.599