ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (ECG)
An ECG (electrocardiogram) records the electrical activity of your heart at rest. The resting ECG is different from a stress or exercise ECG or cardiac imaging test. You may need an ECG test if you have risk factors for heart disease such as
- High blood pressure
- Palpitations
- Chest pain
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a medical test that detects cardiac (heart) abnormalities by measuring the electrical activity generated by the heart as it contracts. The machine that records the patient’s ECG is called an electrocardiograph. After you change into a gown, a technician attaches 12 to 15 soft electrodes with a gel to your chest, arms, and legs. These electrodes are attached to electrical leads (wires), which are then attached to the electrocardiograph machine, which records the patient’s heart rhythms. Your doctor will diagnose heart conditions by reading the patterns seen. This test takes about 5 – 10 minutes and is painless and harmless.
