The mechanisms responsible for changes in T wave symmetry and amplitude with changes in heart rate and action potential duration were investigated. A computer model of normal left ventricular repolarization was used to simulate the T waves on the surface 12-lead ECG. The effect of heart rate changes was studied by varying the ratio between dispersion of repolarization (Disp) and action potential repolarization duration (APRD). With constant dispersion, as heart rate increases, APRD decreases and the ratio Disp/APRD increases T waves were simulated while varying the Disp/APRD ratio from 3.6% to 100%. The T wave symmetry ratio measured from the areas either side of the peak (SRarea), the symmetry ratio from the times either side of the peak (SRtime) and the T wave amplitude (Tamplitude) were calculated from each simulated ECG. SRarea decreased from 1.42 to 0.77, SRtime from 1.75 to 1.04 and the Tamplitude increased from 0.19 mV to 2.30 mV.
The stability of results with variation in model characteristics was also investigated, by moving the heart ±20 mm on all three axes, rotating the heart axes by ±10º and by modifying all constants defining the action potential by ±5% and ±10%. T wave amplitude was sensitive to changes in heart position, as the heart was moved towards the body surface. However, T wave shape changed very little with heart position or rotation, with the SD of SRarea varying by less than 0.05 over an SRarea range of 0.65 for different values of Disp/APRD ratio.
We have shown from our model that cardiac T waves increase in amplitude, and become more symmetric with their peaks becoming central as APRD shortens with increasing heart rate, agreeing with clinical observations. These results help to explain the T wave shape changes which occur when heart rate increases.
di Bernardo D, Langley P, Murray A. Effect of changes in heart rate and in action potential duration on the electrocardiogram T wave shape. Physiol Meas 2002; 23: 355-64.
Professor Alan Murray, Freeman Unit, Newcastle upon Tyne. Tel: +44 (0)191-223-1370.
Regional Medical Physics Department, Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 6BE, UK.
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