Subendocardial Infarction

Abstract

Experimental reinvestigation of the mechanism and spread of ventricular activation by Prinzmetal and his co-workers¹ has stimulated interest in the clinical correlation between subendocardial infarction and its electrocardiographic manifestations. In this regard, cases of particular importance are those in which the infarction is widespread circumferentially, but limited to the inner half or less of the left ventricular myocardium. Because of conflicting statements in the recent literature concerning the presence or absence of QRS alterations with this specific type of infarction, we were encouraged to review our autopsied cases of extensive subendocardial infarction that had had recent electrocardiograms. Seventeen such cases were available for study. From the case material available at the Rhode Island Hospital during the decade 1950-1960, we excluded those cases of subendocardial infarction combined with transmural extensions or those having significant conduction disturbances prior to the onset of the infarction. Thus, two cases with previous left and