Which finding is characteristic of ventricular hypertrophy in an EKG?

The presence of very high R waves in the precordial leads is a characteristic finding of ventricular hypertrophy on an EKG. Ventricular hypertrophy occurs when the heart's ventricles grow larger or thicker, often as a result of increased workload, such as in hypertension or aortic stenosis. This thickening of the ventricular wall leads to greater electrical activity, which is reflected in the EKG by increased amplitude of the R waves, particularly in the precordial leads (V1 to V6). Typically, in left ventricular hypertrophy, voltage criteria are used where R wave amplitudes greater than certain thresholds indicate possible hypertrophy.

In contrast, other findings related to EKG changes do not specifically indicate ventricular hypertrophy. For instance, deep Q waves are associated more with myocardial infarction or other conditions related to myocardial damage rather than hypertrophy itself. A prolonged QT interval is indicative of repolarization issues, which may be tied to various cardiac conditions or electrolyte imbalances, rather than hypertrophy. Regular wide QRS complexes often point to bundle branch blocks or other conduction abnormalities instead of hypertrophy, which tends to manifest through increased voltage rather than a change in the duration of the QRS complex.