Cardiac function in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage: a study of electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities
Davies, K.R.; Gelb, A.W.; Manninen, P.H.; Boughner, D.R.; Bisnaire, D.
British Journal of Anaesthesia 67(1): 58-63
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0007-0912 PMID: 1859761 Document Number: 367747
Electrocardiographic (ECG) changes are reported frequently after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). The aim of this study was to investigate the functional significance of ECG changes by echocardiographic assessment of cardiac function. Forty five patients with intracranial aneurysms were studied. All patients had a 12-lead ECG and a two-dimensional echocardiogram. After patients with a history of chronic cardiac disease (n = 4) were excluded, only four patients were found to have wall motion abnormalities. These patients had only minor ECG abnormalities, but severe neurological dysfunction. Conversely, patients with other ECG abnormalities including the deep inverted T waves associated usually with SAH, had normal echocardiograms. We conclude that the ECG is not an accurate predictor of myocardial function after SAH and that myocardial dysfunction is related more closely to severity of neurological condition.