Description

An ECG is a commonly performed cardiac test that is used to record and check the electrical activity of the heart. It shows the electrical activity as line tracings on a paper, with spikes and dips called waves. It may be prescribed by your doctor for a variety of reasons including: To determine the cause of chest pain, which could be caused by various reasons such as heart attack or angina. If there are symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath, palpitations etc. To check for side effects of any prescribed medicines Check the health of the heart especially when related symptoms such as blood pressure, diabetes are present. How an ECG/EKG test is done The patient will be asked to lie on a bed. Certain areas of the body such as chest, arms and legs will be cleaned , and sticky patches called electrodes are attached to those spots. These electrodes are attached to a machine that will record the electrical activity of the patients heart. The patient is required to lie still and not talk during this time. The test takes 5-10 minutes, and is completely comfortable and safe. How to prepare for an ECG/EKG The patient is requested to check with their doctor regarding what medicines to take or not take on the day of the ECG