A study of cases manifesting low voltage in the frontal plane electrocardiographic leads

A study of 20 consecutive examples of frontal plane electrocardiographic low voltage revealed an incidence of 2.1 per cent among 935 patients having electrocardiograms. Arteriosclerotic heart disease was the most common cause and carried a high mortality rate. The striking lack of correlation between low voltage and heart size was pointed out and reasons for it are discussed. The lack of added value that the criteria of low voltage in the precordial leads afforded is also discussed.