What Is An Electrocardiogram?

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.