Electrocardiogram

Many of us recognize medical terminology from television shows or commercials even when we don’t understand what they entail. The Electrocardiogram is one of those terms. The abbreviation for Electrocardiogram is EKG, and while you’ve probably heard of this before, we know from experience that many of our patients can’t say confidently what it is.

Each of our hearts operates based on an electrical signal that enables the heart to beat and pump blood through the body. When issues occur within the heart, that electrical signal can become disrupted. Some symptoms that may warrant an EKG are chest pain, trouble breathing, or a feeling that your heart is beating unevenly. Since the EKG is a diagnostic test, it is completely non-invasive and outpatient.

Before the test, a technician will apply electrodes to your chest. Those electrodes capture the electrical activity of your heart and track that information on a graph to be translated by your cardiologist. The Electrocardiogram can be performed as a stand-alone test or it can be used as an element of another diagnostic test like a stress test. After the test is complete (this generally takes around 10 minutes) you’ll be given instructions from your cardiologist. Most patients go home and resume their normal lives.

We want you to feel confident about your Electrocardiogram. If you have questions or would like to schedule a consultation, complete the form below.