American Journal of Cardiology
Volume 103, Issue 2 , Pages 221-226, 15 January 2009

On the Use of the Inverse Electrocardiogram Leads

  • John E. Madias, MD

      Affiliations

    • Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the New York University, New York, New York
    • Division of Cardiology, Elmhurst Hospital Center, Elmhurst, New York
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author: Tel: 718-334-5005; fax: 718-334-5990

Received 11 July 2008; received in revised form 9 September 2008; accepted 9 September 2008. published online 03 November 2008.

This viewpoint expresses reservations about using the inverse (or negative) aVR lead in the so-called Cabrera limb lead sequence and the implementation of inverse representations of any of the other 12 standard electrocardiographic leads. Instead, the author proposes that in patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes and a nondiagnostic electrocardiographic results, electrocardiography be repeated (“double electrocardiography”), with the V1 to V6 electrodes used to record leads V3R, V4R, V7 to V9 to the left of the spine, and V9R to the right of the spine to aid in triaging patients to the appropriate management.

 

PII: S0002-9149(08)01521-X

doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2008.09.009

American Journal of Cardiology
Volume 103, Issue 2 , Pages 221-226, 15 January 2009