An Electrocardiogram, or Ekg, Is Used to Visualize What?

Overview

An electrocardiogram records the electrical signals in the heart. It's a mutual and painless test used to rapidly detect heart issues and monitor the heart's wellness.

An electrocardiogram — also called ECG or EKG — is often done in a health care provider's office, a clinic or a infirmary room. ECG machines are standard equipment in operating rooms and ambulances. Some personal devices, such as smartwatches, offer ECG monitoring. Inquire your health care provider if this is an option for yous.

Types

1. Holter monitor
2. Implantable loop recorder: A centre monitoring device

Why information technology's done

An electrocardiogram is a painless, noninvasive style to help diagnose many mutual heart problems. A health care provider might utilise an electrocardiogram to make up one's mind or discover:

• Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
• If blocked or narrowed arteries in the eye (coronary artery disease) are causing chest pain or a center assail
• Whether you take had a previous center assault
• How well certain center affliction treatments, such equally a pacemaker, are working

Y'all may need an ECG if you accept any of the following signs and symptoms:

• Chest pain
• Dizziness, lightheadedness or confusion
• Heart palpitations
• Rapid pulse
• Shortness of jiff
• Weakness, fatigue or a decline in power to exercise

The American Heart Association doesn't recommend using electrocardiograms to appraise adults at depression gamble who don't have symptoms. But if you have a family history of heart disease, your health care provider might suggest an electrocardiogram equally a screening exam, fifty-fifty if y'all accept no symptoms.

If symptoms tend to come up and go, they may non be detected during a standard ECG recording. A wellness care provider might recommend remote or continuous ECG monitoring. There are several different types.

• Holter monitor. A Holter monitor is a pocket-size, wearable device that records a continuous ECG, usually for 24 to 48 hours.
• Effect monitor. This portable device is like to a Holter monitor, simply it records merely at sure times for a few minutes at a time. You tin article of clothing information technology longer than a Holter monitor, typically 30 days. You lot by and large button a button when you feel symptoms. Some devices automatically record when an irregular rhythm is detected.

ECG on medical helicopter

A person receives an ECG while on a helicopter for medical send.

Get the latest health information from Mayo Dispensary's experts.

Sign up for gratis, and stay upwards to date on research advancements, health tips and current wellness topics, like COVID-xix, plus expertise on managing wellness.

To provide you lot with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which data is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage data with other information we take most you. If y'all are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected wellness information, we will care for all of that data as protected health data and will only use or disembalm that information as fix forth in our notice of privacy practices. Yous may opt-out of electronic mail communications at whatever fourth dimension past clicking on the unsubscribe link in the electronic mail.

Risks

An electrocardiogram is a safe process. There is no risk of electrical shock during the exam because the electrodes used do not produce electricity. The electrodes simply record the electrical activity of the heart.

You may have pocket-size discomfort, similar to removing a cast, when the electrodes are removed. Some people develop a slight rash where the patches were placed.

How you fix

No special preparations are necessary for a standard electrocardiogram. Tell your health care provider about whatever medications and supplements you lot have. These can ofttimes bear on the results of an ECG.

What you can await

An electrocardiogram can be done in a health care provider's function or hospital.

Before

Y'all may be asked to change into a hospital gown. If you have hair on the parts of your torso where the electrodes will be placed, the care provider may shave the hair and then that the patches stick.

One time you're gear up, you lot'll typically exist asked to lie on an examining table or bed.

During

During an ECG, up to 12 sensors (electrodes) are attached to the chest and limbs. The electrodes are gluey patches with wires that connect to a monitor. They record the electrical signals that make the eye beat out. A computer records the data and displays it as waves on a monitor or on paper.

You tin can breathe during the test, simply yous volition need to lie still. Brand sure you lot're warm and ready to prevarication still. Moving, talking or shivering may interfere with the examination results. A standard ECG takes a few minutes.

Afterwards

Y'all can typically render to your usual activities after your electrocardiogram.

Results

Your health care provider might talk over results with you the same day as your electrocardiogram or at your side by side appointment.

ECG results can give a health care provider details nearly the following:

• Heart rate. Unremarkably, heart charge per unit can be measured by checking the pulse. An ECG may exist helpful if your pulse is hard to feel or too fast or likewise irregular to count accurately. An ECG can help identify an unusually fast heart charge per unit (tachycardia) or an unusually slow eye rate (bradycardia).
• Heart rhythm. An ECG can detect irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias). An arrhythmia may occur when any part of the heart'south electrical system doesn't work properly.
• Heart set on. An ECG tin evidence evidence of a previous heart attack or one that's currently happening. The patterns on the ECG may aid determine which function of the eye has been damaged, as well as the extent of the damage.
• Blood and oxygen supply to the heart. An ECG done while yous're having symptoms can help your health care provider make up one's mind whether reduced claret flow to the heart muscle is causing the breast pain.
• Heart construction changes. An ECG tin can provide clues near an enlarged heart, centre defects and other heart bug.

If results evidence a eye rhythm problem, you may demand some other ECG or other test, such as an echocardiogram. Handling depends on what'south causing your signs and symptoms.

Clinical trials

Explore Mayo Clinic studies of tests and procedures to help foreclose, detect, treat or manage conditions.

magnusabloome.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/ekg/about/pac-20384983

Share this post