Abstract
In the effort to find an objective criterion of heart failure, the “Q-T” intervals in the electrocardiograms of 155 patients with heart failure have been measured previous to the administration of any drug. The results of Li and Cheer 1 on 178 normal Chinese subjects were available for comparison. The accompanying table gives the data in summary form. “K” is a constant in the formula, S = K√C, in which “S” is the “Q-T” interval in seconds, and “C” the cycle length in seconds. “K” is therefore a measure of the deviation of the “Q-T” interval relative to the cycle length, and may indicate the presence or absence of disturbances in the dynamics of the heart.
It will be seen from the table that “K” is greatly increased in the presence of heart failure, irrespective of the etiology. In the complete paper the data will be given full statistical treatment. Further results to be described later indicate that “K” is frequently increased in patients with heart disease who have slight or practically no failure. If the “Q-T” interval of the electrocardiogram be taken to have a relation to the duration of ventricular systole, the increased “K” indicates a disturbance of cardiac dynamics which might well be found before clinical evidence of failure is available.
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