Prevalence of primary T‐wave changes in young men and their relationship to psychological and anthropometric data

The T wave in leads II, V 4 , and V 6 in the electrocardiograms of 1,401 consecutively entering 18‐year‐old male conscripts at a military processing center in 1975 were classified, and the relationship between the frequency of the T‐wave changes relative to the psychosocial and medical data of the subjects was examined. One percent of the conscripts had a negative T in one or more of these leads, and twelve percent showed some deviation from the “normal T,” usually a T wave of less than ten percent of the R‐wave amplitude. A common finding was the presence of a “notch” in the T wave of lead V 4 (a negative deflection in the middle of a positive T wave). Those with T‐wave changes showed the same incidence of signs and history of heart disease as those with a normal T. However, those with an abnormal T showed higher heart rate and systolic blood pressure at rest. Further, they had more nervous symptoms and a higher consumption of alcohol and tranquilizers. These findings were as common in the larger group of flat T waves as in the smaller group with T‐wave changes of the type normally attributed to organic heart disease (i.e., having notched, or more or less inverted T waves without ST depression). The maximal work capacity and vital capacity were slightly lower in subjects with abnormal T waves. However, this was fully explained by lesser height. It is suggested that in the majority of these cases, T‐wave changes in young adults are due to increased sympathetic tone rather than to organic heart disease.