An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure
Being proactive can possibly save your life.It is always best to catch something occurring internally in your body before it manifests itself into a visible symptom or worse. An ECG checkup is one such test that helps put you in control. As such, we recommend scheduling this test annually for those over 50 years of age. An electrocardiogram or ECG is a noninvasive test to record the electrical activity of the heart. The electrocardiogram can provide a lot of information about the heart and its functioning. With this study, it is possible to find out more about the heart rate, the size, and functioning of the heart cavities, and heart muscle. With this device, the doctor can determine if you have certain problems.The electrocardiogram is totally harmless and painless.
What is an ECG?
It consists of the recording and visualization of the trace of the electrical currents that are generated in the cells of the heart and their conduction through the tissue of the heart. The electrocardiogram is carried out from electrodes (electrical conductors) applied on the surface of the skin, usually on both arms and legs and on the thorax.
The electrodes placed on the skin can detect these impulses and transmit them to the electrocardiograph by means of cabling. Then these electronic signals are recorded onto a long strip of paper. This graph allows the doctor to better diagnose any problems you may be encountering.
Why Should You Perform an ECG?
The overall goal of performing an ECG is to obtain information about the electrical function of the heart. Some indications for performing an ECG include the following:
* Chest pain or suspected myocardial infarction (heart attack)
* Symptoms such as shortness of breath, murmurs, fainting, seizures, funny turns, or arrhythmias including new onset palpitations or monitoring of known cardiac arrhythmias.
* Medication monitoring and management of overdose
* Electrolyte abnormalities, such as hyperkalemia (elevated potassium levels)
* Perioperative monitoring in which any form of anesthesia is involved. This includes preoperative assessment and intraoperative and postoperative monitoring.
* Cardiac stress testing