QRS axis change

The ekg axis change means that the heart has suffered remodeling usually, from my understanding of it. The EKG sees the electrical signal of the heart from 12 different viewpoints. This is the electrical activity that causes the heart to beat. It moves along a predictable pathway, and depending on whether the impulse is moving toward the EKG lead or away from it, then you will have either a positive or negative deflection of the qrs complex.

If there is a change in that, it indicates that the heart has shifted or changed shape, thus shifting the direction that the impulse is moving relative to where the leads are placed. Heart failure will cause the heart to change its shape. It will enlarge and remodel the heart, causing the electricity to move at a different angle. The EKG leads are like fixed camaras pointed toward the heart, and if the heart changes shape, then it will get a differnt picture. Maybe, instead of the impulse going directly at a certain lead, it will come at an angle. That will make the QRS complex defect differently on the EKG reading.

Here is a webpage that lists reasons for axis deviation. There are a lot of them!

http://www.ecglibrary.com/axis.html

We just had a discussion within the last month on here. Search for my name, and you should be able to find it easily since I dont have that many posts. If you look at leads I, II, or III on your ECG you should see a difference in the deflection of the ECG to either MORE positive or MORE negative............basically a difference in the height of the QRS. This means the electrical impulse has changed direction and is is pointing MORE toward these leads or away from them depending on what the axis change is.