Abnormal T Wave in Ekg

Many people undergo medical testing, and they are then given medical results which are difficult to decipher. One area that this is especially common and problematic is in the results of electrocardiography tests, otherwise known as an ECG or EKG. An EKG is a graphical representation of the beating of a heart that includes several important features. These features are the RR Interval, the P .

The T wave on an electrocardiogram represents the recovery of the ventricles after contraction. During the second half, or downslope, of the T wave, the ventricles repolarize, preparing for the next contraction. An electrocardiogram, or EKG, reads and records the electrical activity of the heart using electrodes placed on the surface of the skin. The EKG records any abnormalities present in the function of the heart over a specific period of time.An inverted T wave can indicate coronary ischemia, Wellens' syndrome, left ventricular hypertrophy, or CNS disorder. Characterized by a reduced blood supply, coronary ischemia affects men more often than women. The usually cause, coronary artery disease, develops over a lifetime and treatment can include medication, intervention and bypass surgery. Patients with unstable angina and an inverted T wave often have coronary artery stenosis in the left ventricle, commonly known as Wellens' syndrome. Left ventricular hypertrophy, caused by the thickening of the myocardium of the left ventricle of the heart, occurs in patients with cardiovascular disease, aortic stenosis or high blood pressure. Diseases of the central nervous system that affect the T wave include subarachnoid hemorrhage, bleeding in the area between the brain and the thin tissues that cover the brain.A peaked T wave may indicate hyperkalemia or acute myocardial infarction. The difference in the T waves of these disorders occurs at the base of the wave. Excessive amounts of potassium in the blood may need treatment. Hyperkalemia can indicate a serious condition. The T wave that may indicate the death of tissue in the heart has a wider base. A sometimes fatal condition, myocardial infarction requires immediate treatment.A flat T wave usually indicates hypokalemia or coronary ischemia. Hypokalemia, too little potassium in the blood, sometimes affects the muscles throughout the body. Finding the underlying cause remains the focus of treatment for hypokalemia.An abnormal T wave in an EKG may require treatment for a serious condition. Many disorders affect the results of an electrocardiogram so physician's take any abnormality extremely seriously.