This experimental study demonstrates that epicardial ECG changes are a relatively slow and insensitive marker of acute regional ischemia compared to direct oxygen availability and muscle contraction.
This study is the first attempt to correlate myocardial oxygen availability by the polaro-graphic method with direct electrocardiographic leads and cinematographic records of muscle contraction during experimental acute coronary branch occlusion and narrowing. The comparative insensitivity and slowness of the epicardial electrocardiogram as an index of acute regional ischemia is demonstrated. Special attention is given to the rates of myocardial oxygen change immediately following attainment of a significant degree of coronary obstruction, the effects of pure oxygen inhalation on the experimental situations, and alterations in coronary vein color following release of arterial occlusion.
SAŸEN et al. (Sat,) studied this question.