The cardiology exams

THE LATE VENTRICULAR POTENTIALS (OR LATE POTENTIALS)

The recording of the late ventricular potentials is implemented after the electrocardiogram whose signal will be amplified.

This exam is aimed at assessing the risk of cardiac rhythm disorder (occurrence of a very serious tachycardia).

- Concretely, this exam is strictly the same as an electrocardiogram.

- The result shows an amplified electric signal, whose aspect you can observe on the following picture.

Amplification of the electrocardiogram signal and analysis of a part of it. This part corresponds to the end of the QRS wave, which itself corresponds to the contraction of the ventricles.

Physicians measure the amplitude and the duration of the recorded signal. According to these figures, the results are interpreted as positive or negative.

The existence of late potentials witnesses a probability of tachycardia occurrence, whereas negative belated potentials cannot permit the physician to have an orientation element.

File last reviewed on dec 18, 2011