![]() ![]() Clinical trialsĮxplore Mayo Clinic studies of tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions. Treatment depends on what's causing your signs and symptoms. If results show a heart rhythm problem, you may need another ECG or other test, such as an echocardiogram. An ECG can provide clues about an enlarged heart, heart defects and other heart problems. An ECG done while you're having symptoms can help your health care provider determine whether reduced blood flow to the heart muscle is causing the chest pain. The patterns on the ECG may help determine which part of the heart has been damaged, as well as the extent of the damage. An ECG can show evidence of a previous heart attack or one that's currently happening. An arrhythmia may occur when any part of the heart's electrical system doesn't work properly. An ECG can detect irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias). An ECG can help identify an unusually fast heart rate (tachycardia) or an unusually slow heart rate (bradycardia). An ECG may be helpful if your pulse is difficult to feel or too fast or too irregular to count accurately. Usually, heart rate can be measured by checking the pulse. Your health care provider might discuss results with you the same day as your electrocardiogram or at your next appointment.ĮCG results can give a health care provider details about the following: You can typically return to your usual activities after your electrocardiogram. Moving, talking or shivering may interfere with the test results. Make sure you're warm and ready to lie still. You can breathe during the test, but you will need to lie still. A computer records the information and displays it as waves on a monitor or on paper. They record the electrical signals that make the heart beat. The electrodes are sticky patches with wires that connect to a monitor. Duringĭuring an ECG, up to 12 sensors (electrodes) are attached to the chest and limbs. Once you're ready, you'll typically be asked to lie on an examining table or bed. If you have hair on the parts of your body where the electrodes will be placed, the care provider may shave the hair so that the patches stick. You may be asked to change into a hospital gown. What you can expectĪn electrocardiogram can be done in a health care provider's office or hospital. These can often affect the results of an ECG. Tell your health care provider about any medications and supplements you take. ![]() No special preparations are necessary for a standard electrocardiogram. Some people develop a slight rash where the patches were placed. You may have minor discomfort, similar to removing a bandage, when the electrodes are removed. The electrodes only record the electrical activity of the heart. There is no risk of electrical shock during the test because the electrodes used do not produce electricity. Pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defectĪn electrocardiogram is a safe procedure.Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum.Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs).Orthostatic hypotension (postural hypotension).Ejection fraction: What does it measure?.Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) care at Mayo Clinic.Some devices automatically record when an irregular rhythm is detected. You generally push a button when you feel symptoms. You can wear it longer than a Holter monitor, typically 30 days. This portable device is similar to a Holter monitor, but it records only at certain times for a few minutes at a time. A Holter monitor is a small, wearable device that records a continuous ECG, usually for 24 to 48 hours. A health care provider might recommend remote or continuous ECG monitoring. If symptoms tend to come and go, they may not be detected during a standard ECG recording. But if you have a family history of heart disease, your health care provider might suggest an electrocardiogram as a screening test, even if you have no symptoms. The American Heart Association doesn't recommend using electrocardiograms to assess adults at low risk who don't have symptoms. Weakness, fatigue or a decline in ability to exercise.Dizziness, lightheadedness or confusion.You may need an ECG if you have any of the following signs and symptoms: How well certain heart disease treatments, such as a pacemaker, are working.Whether you have had a previous heart attack.If blocked or narrowed arteries in the heart (coronary artery disease) are causing chest pain or a heart attack.A health care provider might use an electrocardiogram to determine or detect: Implantable loop recorder: A heart monitoring deviceĪn electrocardiogram is a painless, noninvasive way to help diagnose many common heart problems. ![]()
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