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The spatial ventricular vector. Its definition, determination, and clinical significances

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Summary and Conclusions

  1. 1.

    The spatial ventricular vector, which summaries the ventricular electrical activities, has been defined.

  2. 2.

    Three methods for the determination of the spatial ventricular vector has been described. With the aid of the two circular reference systems and a volume of tables the interpreter needs no more than one minute for each determination.

  3. 3.

    The spatial distribution of this vector obtained from normal individuals as compared from patients with left ventricular hypertrophy has been found to be significant. Greater significance in general is expected when orthogonal leads of equal electrical weights are employed.

  4. 4.

    The differences of the present vector on the one hand andWilson's ventricular gradient andBurger's polar vector on the other hand have been discussed.

  5. 5.

    For clinical vectorcardiography it is proposed that the individual physicians retain their lead systems of preference while agree upon a worldwide communicative system. For this purpose the E-W-B spatial lead system, joins the efforts ofEinthoven, Wilson, andBurger together, is recommended. Reasons for the recommendations are given.

  6. 6.

    Analog and digital computers appear unlikely to have direct clinical application in electrocardiography or vectorcardiography in foreseeable future. However, in the hands of individual investigators, computers already serve two useful purposes, to reduce their working load and to assist to derive practical methods for the clinicians.

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Supported by U.S.P.H.S. Research Grant HE-07695, from the National Heart Institute

With 8 figures and 5 tables

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Zao, Z.Z., Zao, M.E. The spatial ventricular vector. Its definition, determination, and clinical significances. Archiv für Kreislaufforschung 50, 87–107 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02119359

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