​​

What is it Used For?

Diagnosing Arrhythmias: Identifies irregular heartbeats, including fast (tachycardia) or slow (bradycardia) rhythms.

Heart Damage: Detects signs of a current or previous heart attack, as well as coronary heart disease.

Structural Issues: Detects thickened heart muscle (cardiomyopathy) or chamber enlargement.

Monitoring Treatments: Checks the effectiveness of medications or pacemaker performance.

Pre-Surgery Checks: Ensures the heart is healthy before surgeries.

 

Key Facts About the Procedure

Procedure: 10 small, sticky, painless sensors (electrodes) are attached to the skin on the chest, arms, and legs.

Recording: The electrodes transmit heart electrical activity to a computer for a 10-second recording.

Preparation: No special preparation is needed, though hair on the chest might be shaved to improve contact. Avoid greasy lotions.

Risk: The test is non-invasive and does not send electricity through your body; it only records signals.

Types:

Resting ECG: Done while lying still.

Stress Test: Recorded while exercising on a treadmill or bike.

Ambulatory/Holter Monitor: A portable monitor worn for 24+ hours to record heart activity during daily life.

Understanding Results

The ECG records waves of electrical activity, typically showing a sequence:

P wave: Atria (upper chambers) activate.

QRS complex: Ventricles (lower chambers) contract.

T wave: Ventricles recover/relax.

A standard 12-lead ECG allows doctors to see the heart's activity from 12 different perspectives. Abnormal results do not always mean a severe condition, as some changes are harmless, but they may indicate a need for further testing.