EKG

What can an EKG tell us about our health?

An electrocardiogram is a quick, easy, and noninvasive test. The patient lies down and relaxes. Electrodes are placed on the chest (using sticky patches), and are connected to a machine which records the heart’s electrical signals. It shows how fast or slow the heart is beating, can pick up irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), and much more.

Why would we have an EKG? New shortness of breath with exertion may be a sign of new heart disease, and clues may appear on the EKG. Other reasons include chest pain, dizziness, lightheadedness or confusion, pounding, skipping or fluttering heartbeats, fast pulse, weakness or fatigue, or reduced ability to exercise.

In addition, those who have a family history of heart disease may wish to have an electrocardiogram to screen for heart disease, even without symptoms. In fact, the American Heart Association advises that EKGs may be considered for those at low risk of heart disease, even with no symptoms, since it is such a simple test. An EKG may also be a part of medical clearance before surgery.

EKG machines are found in medical offices, hospitals, operating rooms and ambulances. EKG tracings can even be taken from personal devices, such as smart watches.

We can learn so much from an EKG: in addition to heart rate and rhythm, the test can indicate previous heart attacks, current blood and oxygen supply to the heart, an enlarged heart, congenital heart defects, and other heart conditions. An EKG can show how well a pacemaker and other heart disease treatments are working. However, none of this explains why an electrocardiogram is most commonly known as an EKG! The “K” comes from the German spelling, “elektrokardiogramm.” ECG is also an accepted abbreviation.