This overview is a sample of the type of information available to you at Griffin Hospital's Community Health Resource Center. It is not intended to replace your physician's instructions in the management of your health problems, but to better inform you about a particular illness and alert you to the availability of other materials. If you have a question about any piece of information presented in theses fact sheets, please call your physician, or stop by the Community Health Resource Center at your convenience.

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM

(ECG, EKG, or Twelve-lead EKG)

An electrocardiogram (EKG) is a test of the electrical impulses that trigger each heart beat. This test is helpful in diagnosing abnormalities in your heart's rhythm that could be the result of many factors, including a heart attack, inflammation, or an imbalance of certain minerals that are required for your heart to contract properly. This test is completely painless and requires only that you lie very still for about fifteen minutes while the test is being performed. You will be asked to lie on your back with your chest bare.

Electrodes, which are small, thin pieces of metal, are used to pick up the electrical impulses of your heart, but there is absolutely no way that they can give you an electrical shock. A special gel may be applied between the electrodes and the skin to increase the electrical connection.

Electrodes will be placed on each wrist and ankle, and on six different locations on your chest to pick up different angles or vectors of electrical impulses. With the four limb electrodes and the six chest electrodes, the EKG machine will be able to pick up impulses from twelve different directions (called a 12-lead EKG), which helps to give complete information on how well your heart is functioning.

Wires connect the electrodes to an EKG machine which is on a portable cart that the nurse, doctor, or EKG technician can wheel into your room. When the machine is turned on, the impulses from your heart will be recorded on moving graph paper.

When the EKG is completed, the electrodes will be removed and the gel can be washed off. The paper that was used to record the tracings of your heart is then given to a doctor – usually a cardiologist – who will interpret the EKG and send a report to your doctor in a few days.

Please note that this information is intended to give you a general overview of the topic. It is not intended to replace advice or instruction of a health professional. We recommend that you consult your physician, nurse, or qualified health professional regarding the information in this publication. © 1994 Planetree, Inc. Reproduction of this material in any form is limited to license agreement.

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