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U Wave: Facts, Hypotheses, Misconceptions, and Misnomers
Author(s) -
SURAWICZ BORYS
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.193
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1540-8167
pISSN - 1045-3873
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8167.1998.tb00890.x
Subject(s) - medicine , u wave , repolarization , cardiology , qt interval , myocardial infarction , left ventricular hypertrophy , electrophysiology , blood pressure
U Wave. The clinical significance of U wave is limited to the occasional obfuscation of the end of T wave and an inadequately explained U wave inversion associated with myocardial ischemia, infarction, and ventricular hypertrophy and dilatation. Lengthening of QT interval often interferes with the recognition of U wave. The characteristics of U wave are not compatible with the Purkinje or ventricular muscle repolarization hypotheses. The timing of the U wave during ventricular relaxation and the links between U wave and mechanical events favor the mechanoelectrical hypothesis of U wave genesis. Unfortunately, little research has been done to test this hypothesis.