Catecholamines, T-Waves, and Newborn Infants

The electrocardiogram of the newborn infant, taken with right precordial leads, shows upright T-wave. During the first few hours the T-wave becomes diphasic and by the twenty-fourth hour of life becomes negative.^1-3

Very interesting studies by Lind in newborn humans and pigs and human fetuses have shown that the administration of catecholamines can induce upright T-waves in the right precordial leads at 24 hours. This phenomenon is supposedly related to the effect of the sympatheticomimetic amines (? epinephrine) upon pressure in the pulmonary circulation.^4-6