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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.
Enlargementoftheheart
Congenitalheartdefectsinvolvingtheconducting(electrical)system
Abnormalrhythm(arrhythmia)rapid,sloworirregularheartbeats
Damagetotheheartsuchaswhenoneoftheheartsarteriesisblocked(coronary
occlusion)
Poorbloodsupplytotheheart
Abnormalpositionoftheheart
Heartinflammationpericarditisormyocarditis
Cardiacarrestduringemergencyroomorintensivecaremonitoring
Disturbancesoftheheartsconductingsystem
Imbalancesinthebloodchemicals(electrolytes)thatcontrolheartactivity.
ApersonwithheartdiseasemayhaveanormalECGresultiftheconditiondoesnotcausea
disturbanceintheelectricalactivityoftheheart.Otherdiagnosticmethodsmayberecommended
ifheartdiseaseissuspected.
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.
Long-term outlook
TheresultsofyourECGwilldetermineyourtreatment,ifany.Treatmentdependsonthe
diagnosedconditionbutmayinclude,forexample:
Arrhythmiasmedicationorsurgery(suchasinstallinganartificialpacemaker)
Coronary artery disease or heart attackmedicationsincludingbeta-blockers,quitting
cigarettes,dietarychangesandcoronaryarterybypasssurgery
High blood pressuredietarychanges,regularexerciseandmedications.
Physicalexamination
Chestx-rays
Echocardiogram(ultrasoundoftheheart)
Magneticresonanceimaging(MRI)orcomputerisedtomographyscansofthechest
Bloodtests
Cardiaccatheterisation(insertionofacatheterthroughthebloodvesselsofthegroininto
theheart).
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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aboutatherapy,service,productortreatmentdoesnotimplyendorsementandisnotintendedto
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fordiagnosisandanswerstotheirmedicalquestions.
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