Summary:The six limb leads are normally presented in a format the logic of which is traditional rather than anatomical and does not allow visual interpolation such as is customary with the six chest leads. The sequence: aVL, I, -aVR, 11, aVF, 111 was suggested years ago, and is used in some European countries, particularly Sweden. It provides a better impression of the extent of the changes of inferior infarction and makes the rather neglected lead aVR much more useful, though reversed in polarity. It also provides a more direct indication of the electrical axis, and simplifies comparisons with the frontal plane vectorcardiogram. Because modem digital electrocardiographs can provide the sequenced format, this seems a good time to review the advantages of adopting it.

No abstract