Electrocardiogram in the normal rat.

Abstract

Ecg were taken on 100 normal supine Wistar rats under light ether anesthesia. A twinchannel photographic recorder was connected to electrodes placed subcutaneously to provide 4 limb leads, augmented unipolar leads, and a precordial lead corresponding to V4 in the human subject. The mean heart rate was 334 beats/min. The mean PR interval of .065 sec. was slightly longer than that found by other authors. The QT (.006 sec.) and QRS (.023 sec.) intervals were comparable to those reported. The frontal axis was 47 + 33[degree]. Q waves in the standard limb leads were seldom present although they were found in normal rats in augmented unipolar leads and in V4. The results obtained from this work provide standards for experimental studies employing the ecg.