ELECTROCARDIOGRAMS |
Also known as an EKG (from the German language) or an ECG, this is the oldest heart test that is still in routine use today.
The ECG is a method of recording the electrical activity of the heart. Each heartbeat is caused by a section of the heart generating an electrical signal which then conducts through specialized pathways to all parts of the heart. These electrical signals also get transmitted through the chest to the skin where they can be recorded.
An ECG is performed by placing 12 recording leads at certain specific locations on the body. They only record the heart's electrical activity. They do not produce any electricity of their own. The test does not hurt and has no known side effects. It does not require any preparation (except for possibly shaving chest hair to get a better recording). The recording itself takes only a few seconds. Including the setup time and the time to disconnect the leads, the whole procedure takes about 5 minutes.
Why 12 leads? Looking at the heart with 12 leads is like looking at a sculpture, building or car from multiple angles. The more points of view you have, the more you learn about it.
By looking at the electrical patterns on an ECG, your doctor can determine:
The nature of an erratic heart beat. There are many different types of abnormal heart beats. Not all require treatment. In those that do, the ECG recording lets the doctor know which treatment is best.
The presence of a heart attack. It can also be determined whether the heart attack is old or recent.
The possibility that there are narrowed arteries in the heart which may lead to a heart attack in the future.
Whether or not discomfort in the chest is being caused by the heart.
Degeneration of the conduction system of the heart which can lead to dangerously slow heart beats. This condition is often treated with a pacemaker.
The possibility of congenital heart disease.
The other tests discussed in this section give more precise information about the heart than an ECG but are more expensive and more involved to go through. The routine ECG remains a very useful test to detect and monitor heart disease.
GO BACK TO LEARN ABOUT OTHER HEART TESTS
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