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Cardiac EKG

An electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) is a valuable diagnostic tool for detecting and recording your heart's activity, the generation of electrical impulses and the rhythm and regularity of your heartbeat. There are no risks involved with this test. The only side effect is the possibility of mild skin irritation from the adhesive-backed electrodes applied to your skin.

  1. History

    • According to the Notable Names Database (NNDB), the EKG (from the German word elektrokardiograph) invented in 1903 by Dutch physiologist Willem Einthoven, weighed 600 lbs. and consisted of two electromagnets holding a wire connected to electrodes. After placing the electrodes on a patient's chest and his hands and one foot in tubs containing salt water, the technicians obtained an accurate reading and photographic printout of the strength and rate of the patient's heartbeat. Today's EKG machines operate on the same basic principles. Although EKG machines existed prior to his invention, the superior diagnostic capabilities of Einthoven's machine made him eligible to receive the 1924 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work.

    How It Is Done Today

    • While you lie on a table, a technician cleans small areas of your skin with alcohol pads then applies gel and adhesive-backed patches (electrodes) to your chest, arms and legs. Wires connect the electrodes to the EKG machine, which detects electrical signals emitted by your heart including its rate, rhythm and strength as it contracts and relaxes. Upon receiving these signals, the machine records the transmitted data on graph paper according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

    Diagnostic Value

    • EKG graph

      The EKG graph provides a recorded illustration of how different parts of your heart are working by tracing the electrical signals as they travel through your heart from top to bottom. If you experience chest pains, palpitations, fluttering, irregular heartbeats or difficulty breathing, the information provided by this test enables you doctor to determine the existence of a cardiac problem or the necessity for additional testing according to the American College of Cardiology.

    Cardiac Problems Detected

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, the cardiac problems detected by an EKG include heart attacks, tachycardia---when the heart is beating too fast and bradycardia---when the heart is beating too slowly. This test can also detect heart valve problems, inadequate functioning of one of the four chambers of the heart, inflammation, birth defects and heart failure---the inability of the heart to fill properly or to pump an adequate amount of blood.

    Special EKG's

    • It is possible for the 10-minute EKG to miss events not occurring at the time of the test. A Holter monitor is a special continuous EKG worn for 24 hours or longer. It detects intermittent heart problems easily missed on the brief EKG. Event monitors are smaller than Holter monitors are, however, they work in a similar fashion to detect sporadic events not picked up on the regular EKG. This device starts automatically or when started by you at the time a symptom occurs, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

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