Final answer:
A prolonged QU interval with small, sloped T waves is indicative of hypokalemia, which is a state of low potassium levels in the blood affecting the heart's electrical functions and can be observed as abnormalities in T wave formation on an ECG.
Step-by-step explanation:
A prolonged QU interval with small, sloped T waves on an Electrocardiogram (ECG) is indicative of hypokalemia. The QT interval on an ECG represents the time from the start of ventricular depolarization to the end of ventricular repolarization. A prolonged QU interval means there is an extended duration from when the ventricles start to depolarize to when they complete repolarization, which involves contraction and relaxation phases of the heart's pumping cycle, respectively. Small, sloped T waves can occur when the myocardium is not receiving enough potassium, negatively affecting the heart's electrical activity and leading to changes in the T wave formation.
Maintaining electrolyte balance is critical for normal cardiac function, and low potassium levels (hypokalemia) are associated with arrhythmias which can be reflected in the ECG pattern as abnormalities in the T wave appearance, among other changes.