THE ELECTROCARDIOGRAM IN ASPHYXIAL AND IN EMBOLIC ACUTE COR PULMONALE

Abstract

Acute respiratory failure with alveolar under-ventilation is often due to obstruction to the air- ways occurring in acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis and in severe asthma. The consequent hypoxLmia must lead to acute elevation of the pulmonary arterial pressure (Motley et al., 1948; This form of acute cor pulmonale may be termed "acute asphyxial cor pulmonale" to distinguish it from that due to pulmonary embolism.