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ECG test

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Anelectrocardiogram(ECG)isamedicaltestthatdetectscardiac(heart)abnormalitiesby
measuringtheelectricalactivitygeneratedbytheheartasitcontracts.Themachinethatrecords
thepatientsECGiscalledanelectrocardiograph.
Theelectrocardiographrecordstheelectricalactivityoftheheartmuscleanddisplaysthisdataasa
traceonascreenoronpaper.Thisdataistheninterpretedbyamedicalpractitioner.
ECGsfromnormal,healthyheartshaveacharacteristicshape.Anyirregularityintheheartrhythm
ordamagetotheheartmusclecanchangetheelectricalactivityoftheheartsothattheshapeof
theECGischanged.AdoctormayrecommendanECGforpatientswhomaybeatriskofheart
diseasebecausethereisafamilyhistoryofheartdisease,orbecausetheysmoke,areoverweight,
orhavediabetes,highcholesterolorhighbloodpressure.

Heart problems diagnosed by ECG

SomeofthevariousheartproblemsthatcanbediagnosedbyECGinclude:

Enlargementoftheheart
Congenitalheartdefectsinvolvingtheconducting(electrical)system
Abnormalrhythm(arrhythmia)rapid,sloworirregularheartbeats
Damagetotheheartsuchaswhenoneoftheheartsarteriesisblocked(coronary
occlusion)
Poorbloodsupplytotheheart
Abnormalpositionoftheheart
Heartinflammationpericarditisormyocarditis
Cardiacarrestduringemergencyroomorintensivecaremonitoring
Disturbancesoftheheartsconductingsystem
Imbalancesinthebloodchemicals(electrolytes)thatcontrolheartactivity.

ApersonwithheartdiseasemayhaveanormalECGresultiftheconditiondoesnotcausea
disturbanceintheelectricalactivityoftheheart.Otherdiagnosticmethodsmayberecommended
ifheartdiseaseissuspected.

Medical issues to consider with an ECG

AdoctormayrecommendanECGifapatientisexperiencingsymptomssuchaschestpain,
shortnessofbreath,dizziness,fainting,orfastorirregularheartbeats(palpitations).ECGsare
oftenperformedtomonitorthehealthofpatientswhohavebeendiagnosedwithheartproblems,
tohelpassessartificialcardiacpacemakersortomonitortheeffectsofcertainmedicationsonthe
heart.
Thereisnoneedtorestrictfoodordrinkpriortothetest.Youshouldalwaysletyourdoctorknow
whatmedicationsyouaretakingbeforeyouhaveanECG,andifyouhaveanyallergiestoadhesive
tapesthatmaybeusedtoattachelectrodes.

Electrocardiogram procedure
Youstriptothewaistsothatelectrodescanbeattachedtoyourchestandlimbs.Womenshould
considerwearingaseparatetoptotheirtrousersorskirttoalloweasyaccesstothechest.The
selectedsitesareshaved,ifnecessary.Sensorscalledelectrodesareattachedtothechest,arms
andlegs.witheithersuctioncupsorstickygel.Theseelectrodesdetecttheelectricalcurrents
generatedbytheheartthataremeasuredandrecordedbytheelectrocardiogrammachine.

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ThethreemajortypesofECGinclude:

Resting ECGthepatientliesdown.Nomovementisallowedduringthistime,as
electricalimpulsesgeneratedbyothermusclesmayinterferewiththosegeneratedbyyour
heart.ThistypeofECGusuallytakesfiveto10minutes.
Ambulatory ECGambulatoryorHolterECGisperformedusingaportablerecording
devicethatiswornforatleast24hours.Thepatientisfreetomovearoundnormallywhile
themonitorisattached.ThistypeofECGisusedforpatientswhosesymptomsare
intermittentandmaynotappearduringarestingECG.Peoplerecoveringfromheartattack
maybemonitoredinthiswaytoensureproperheartfunction.Thepatientusuallyrecords
symptomsinadiary,notingthetimesothattheirownexperiencecanbecomparedwith
theECG.
Cardiac stress testthistestisusedtorecordapatientsECGwhilethepatientrideson
anexercisebikeorwalksonatreadmill.ThistypeofECGtakesabout15to30minutesto
complete.

Immediately after an ECG procedure

Theelectrodesareremoved.AnECGiscompletelypainlessandnon-invasive,astheskinisinno
waypenetrated.ThedoctorcaninterprettheresultsofyourECGstraightawaybasedonyour
medicalhistory,symptomsandclinicalexamination.

Possible complications of an ECG

TheECGisasafeprocedurewithnoknownrisks.Itdoesnotsendelectriccurrenttothebody.On
occasionthepatientmaybeallergicorsensitivetotheelectrodescausinglocalskinreddening.

Taking care of yourself at home

Thepatientcanresumenormalactivitiesimmediately.TheECGisnon-invasiveanddoesntinvolve
medications(suchasanaesthetics)orrequirerecoverytime.

Long-term outlook
TheresultsofyourECGwilldetermineyourtreatment,ifany.Treatmentdependsonthe
diagnosedconditionbutmayinclude,forexample:

Arrhythmiasmedicationorsurgery(suchasinstallinganartificialpacemaker)
Coronary artery disease or heart attackmedicationsincludingbeta-blockers,quitting
cigarettes,dietarychangesandcoronaryarterybypasssurgery
High blood pressuredietarychanges,regularexerciseandmedications.

Other forms of treatment

Otherteststhathelpdiagnoseheartproblemsinclude:

Physicalexamination
Chestx-rays
Echocardiogram(ultrasoundoftheheart)
Magneticresonanceimaging(MRI)orcomputerisedtomographyscansofthechest
Bloodtests
Cardiaccatheterisation(insertionofacatheterthroughthebloodvesselsofthegroininto
theheart).

Where to get help

Yourdoctor
Inanemergency,calltriplezero(000)foranambulance

Things to remember

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Anelectrocardiogram(ECG)isamedicaltestthatdetectscardiacabnormalitiesby
measuringtheelectricalactivitygeneratedbytheheartasitcontracts.
AdoctormayrecommendanECGforpatientsbecauseoftheirsymptomsorwhomaybe
atriskofheartdiseasebecausethereisafamilyhistoryofheartdisease,orbecausethey
smoke,areoverweight,havediabetes,highcholesterolorhighbloodpressure.
TheECGisasafeandnon-invasiveprocedurewithnoknownrisks.

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