Ventricular wall

Friday, January 27, 2012

As a rule myocardial infarction occurs in the wall of the ventricle and in the interventricular septum: the wall of the right ventricle is usually only affected in areas adjacent to a large sepal infarctions of the wall of the right ventricle can seldom be diagnosed electrocardiographically. The electrocardiographic changes of myocardial ischemia and infarction depend on the site extent, severity and age of the damage. The QRS complexes are affected only when an area of infarction involves the full thickness of the myocardium. In such cases the dead tissue, which cannot be activated but can still conduct impulses, acts as a hole or window in the myocardium. An overlying electrode therefore reflects the electrical events which are occurring in the septum and the opposite wall of the heart shown in the electrocardiogram as a negative wave (deep Q) for the reasons explained above. This is the characteristic sign of an infarct which involves the entire thickness of the ventricular wall.