The Significance of Hyperventilative and Orthostatic T-Wave Changes on the Electrocardiogram

Abstract

A group of 305 patients were studied to evaluate the significance of orthostatic and hyperventilative T-wave changes, orthostatic blood pressure changes, and the relationship of ischemic heart disease, as determined by treadmill stress testing, to these observed changes. The results indicate that orthostatic and hyperventilative T-wave changes are not at all an unusual finding in the younger age group and are not related to ischemic heart disease. In patients having ischemic heart disease, a stationary or decreased systolic blood pressure when changing from a sitting to a standing position was seen in the majority studied. The presence of orthostatic and hyperventilative T-wave changes did not confuse the interpretation of the treadmill stress test electrocardiogram when evaluated by our criteria for ischemic abnormality.