Electrocardiogram (EKG)
An electrocardiogram (EKG) is one of the simplest and fastest procedures used to evaluate the heart. Electrodes (small, plastic patches) are placed at certain locations on the chest, arms, and legs. When the electrodes are connected to an EKG machine by lead wires, the electrical activity of the heart is measured, and then printed for the physician's interpretation. An EKG does not send electricity into the body.
Purposes of an EKG:
- Find the cause of unexplained chest pain, such as a heart attack, inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart, or reduced blood flow to the heart muscle
- Determine the cause of symptoms of heart disease, such as unexplained chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, or rapid, irregular heartbeats (palpitations)
- Check the heart's electrical activity
- Find out if the walls of the heart chambers are too thick
- Check how well medicines are working and whether they are causing side effects that affect the heart
- Check how well devices implanted in the heart are working to control a normal heartbeat, such as pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators
- Check the health of the heart when other diseases or conditions are present, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cigarette smoking, diabetes or a family history of early heart disease
In most cases, an EKG can correctly diagnose an active heart attack. An EKG cannot accurately predict the presence of blockages in the blood vessels (coronary arteries), which result in chest pains (angina). For this reason, the stress test or cardiac catheterization can be required.