What Is An Electrocardiogram?

An electrocardiogram seems to help doctors pinpoint issues with the electrical activity of a patient's heart. It should simply measure the electrical signals, not create electricity. This test may reveal the causes of chest pain, irregular heartbeats, and shortness of breath. Electrocardiograms appear to be quite common, and patients may have had at least one before. Most patients seem to get one when they visit the emergency room. They do not appear to cause any pain.

Many individuals may find that electrocardiogram monitoring is helpful. Some of them seem to use a portable ECG monitor for flexibility. These tests may help patients receive prompt and effective heart attack treatment. They also appear to allow patients to get effective treatment for arrhythmias. Electrocardiograms seem to be quite valuable. However, patients may want to understand more about them before getting one.

How The Procedure Should Work

The procedure seems to vary based on what type of electrocardiogram the doctor orders. After all, it seems that patients need a different test for various purposes. However, all electrocardiograms appear to require electrodes attached to the patient. It seems that they are attached to the patient's chest most of the time. Of course, patients may need electrodes on their limbs as well.

The heart should generate electrical signals naturally. The heart does not appear to be able to pump blood without them. The signals may begin in the sinus node and travel to other chambers of the heart. The electrodes in one of these tests should detect and record the electrical signals. It seems to send the recording to a device that then prints the results. This printout may be called an EKG strip. A doctor or technician appears to be the one who can interpret the results.

Learn about when this test may be used next.

When These Tests May Be Used

Electrocardiograms seem to be useful in many situations. Some individuals may have one done during a routine checkup. In other cases, doctors use them when they believe patients may have heart or lung problems. This may include when they suspect blocked arteries or an irregular heartbeat. Electrocardiograms seem to help determine if a patient had a heart attack. They may also reveal if the attack is still happening. Some heart and lung diseases may reveal themselves on the reports from these tests. They seem to appear as signs of low voltage.

Certain individuals may need stress tests. These appear to be the electrocardiograms that involve exercise. They may be warranted when patients have exercise-induced asthma or breathing issues during exercise. They may also check the success of a surgery. A stress test seems to help doctors know when progressive diseases are improving or worsening as well.

Get the details on the potential types of electrocardiogram next.

Potential Types

The most common type of electrocardiogram appears to be the resting 12-lead form. It may detect heart abnormalities while patients are sitting still. As mentioned, stress tests seem to check the heart's electrical activity while the patient is exercising. It seems that patients will walk or run on a treadmill most during such a test. Some patients may undergo a cardiopulmonary exercise test. This appears to be an advanced stress test. It should test the patient's lungs, muscles, and heart at the same time. They may need a mouthpiece as well as the electrodes during this type of electrocardiogram.

In some cases, doctors may order a Holter monitor. It seems that this helps detect electrical issues in the heart over an extended period. Patients may wear this device for twenty-four to forty-eight hours. However, they may be able to wear it longer if it is deemed necessary. Doctors seem to use a signal-averaged electrocardiogram in combination with other types. This version may be more sensitive to finding heart problems. It seems to last between five to twenty minutes.

Reveal some potential preparation instructions next.

Potential Preparation

The potential preparation for an electrocardiogram seems to vary based on which type a patient needs. However, most doctors appear to recommend avoiding alcohol and caffeine before these tests. Patients who need exercise tests may want to avoid eating heavy meals or engaging in intense exercise before their electrocardiogram. They may also want to wear loose clothing to their test. Lipstick may need to be taken off.

A patient seems to need to remove their shirt before an electrocardiogram. The reason appears to be that the technician must attach electrodes to their chest. Removing jewelry and lotions may be needed as well. The lotions seem to make it harder for electrodes to adhere to the patient's skin.

Discover how the results may be interpreted next.

Interpreting The Results

The electrical activity of a patient's heart seems to appear as a wave on the results slip. The doctor should be able to figure out when the heart is pumping blood and contracting the way that it should. The waves appear to let the doctor know how fast or slow the signals traveled through the heart's various chambers.

Some structures in the heart may slow down these signals. One of the natural places for this to happen seems to be the atrioventricular node. Technicians and doctors should determine when this delay is happening and when an abnormal one appears on the electrocardiogram results. A normal delay should look different than a heartbeat that is too slow. A fast heartbeat may also display on these tests. Doctors may look at breathing rates, blood pressure, and carbon dioxide levels as part of interpreting the results of one of these tests as well.