1981 Volume 3 Issue 3 Pages 287-292
Electrocardiographic changes were studied in 46 patiants with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), in 34 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and 13 patiants with brain tumors (BT) as a control group. Those EKG alterations were analyzed in respect to gravity and prognosis of those patients. The patients with past history of ischemic heart diseases had been excluded in this study.
In 8 cases with SAH and ICH, the EKGs before and after attacks were compared. Electrocardiographic changes were noted in 36 cases of SAH (78.3%), in 27 cases of ICH (79.4%) and in 4 cases of BT (30.8%). In SAH, wide deep negative T was one of characteristic EKG changes.
In SAH, prolonged QTc (U) was found more in the cases higher grading of Hunt and Kosnik. Vasospasm in SAH and intraventricular hemorrhage in ICH were the factors bringing about more EKG alterations. In ICH, left ventricular hypertrophy and ST alterations were commoner findings compared to others. Those EKG changes had no co-relation with serum electrolyte and enzyme changes, but some co-relation with higher serum glucose level.
In the fatal cases, and in the cases with GI bleeding and hyperthermia in their clinical course, more marked EKG changes were noted. For the etiology of those EKG alterations, neuronal factors rather than humoral ones were suggested. For the trarget areas, the hypothalamus and its vicinity were considered. More precise clinical investigations and animal experiments are to be followed after this prospective study in future.
