Monday 6 July 2015

What do the results of an ECG test really reveal?

Electrocardiogram (ECG) tests are there to assist doctors identify and treat any problems or abnormalities with the heart.

If you have had some previous history or heart disease or it runs in your family and you are over the age of 40 years, then an ECG test should be a part of your next doctor's visit.

Electrodes are attached on the body to measure the hearts electrical impulses. These results are displayed on the monitor and printed for the doctor to study.

Once the doctors have studied the data results, they can identify any issues and prevent heart disease.

The patient’s ECG reading is compared to that of a normal heart. Differences in heart rate and the rhythm of contractions between the two readings highlight potential or past heart attacks, coronary artery diseases or heart disease. If these symptoms are detected, further testing is done to investigate.

ECG recordings can help doctors diagnose heart attacks that are in progress or have happened in the past. This is especially true if doctors can compare a current ECG recording to an older one.

An ECG also can show:

- Lack of blood flow to the heart muscle (coronary heart disease)
- A heartbeat that's too fast, too slow, or irregular (arrhythmia)
- A heart that doesn't pump forcefully enough (heart failure)
- Heart muscle that's too thick or parts of the heart that are too big (cardiomyopathy)
- Birth defects in the heart (congenital heart defects)
- Problems with the heart valves (heart valve disease)
- Inflammation of the sac that surrounds the heart (pericarditis)

An ECG can reveal whether the heartbeat starts in the correct place in the heart. The test also shows how long it takes for electrical signals to travel through the heart. Delays in signal travel time may suggest heart block or long QT syndrome.

ECG tests can help doctors prevent and foresee heart problems, like heart attacks – this is why ECG’s are considered very important and should be part of any average doctor’s check-up.


Make sure you have a reliable ECG machine in your doctors office, take a look at Supply Doctor today and place your order!

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