Transient Inversion of T Waves After Paroxysmal Tachycardia

An electrocardiographic syndrome consisting of transient inversion of T waves after paroxysms of tachycardia in normal hearts has been recognized for some time. The resemblance of these changes to those of serious organic heart disease makes obvious the importance of their recognition and understanding. The recent observation of this syndrome in two apparently healthy young men prompted us to review the literature on this subject. It is our belief that knowledge of the frequency, characteristics, and importance of this syndrome is not as widespread as it should be. In 1935, Graybiel and White1stressed the fact that inversion of T waves is not necessarily associated with organic heart disease, and that care must be taken in the diagnosis of heart disease when inverted T waves are the only electrocardiographic finding. They cited a number of conditions in which inverted T waves occurred with no evidence of associated cardiac disorder.