Electrocardiographic Variants in the Geriatric Patient

Abstract

Electrocardiographic patterns change with aging, and with several other factors (some transient) that do not indicate disease. It is mandatory that an interpreter of electrocardiograms be aware of these factors. Otherwise, he may be responsible for creating a "cardiac cripple" with all the attendant emotional and familial dieturbances which sometimes can be catastrophic. Such a caee is presented, as are others from the literature.