ECG Test – ECG is an abbreviated form of the term electrocardiogram. It is an important diagnostic test to monitor the heart’s electrical activity of and rhythm and can detect irregularities in the cardiac cycle. The electrocardiograph is a machine-generated graph obtained after recording the signals from the body through electrodes.
Who can take the ECG test?
According to the Heart Association, adults having low heart risk and do not show any symptoms are advised not to undergo an ECG test. However, patients whose family members have some heart problems must go for it to screen for heart anomalies.
Prepare beforehand for ECG
There are no specific requirements for the ECG test. No prior preparation is needed while going for a heart monitoring test. But you must consider the following things before your ECG test.
- 1. Stay relaxed
- 2. No booster medicines or medications which increase the blood circulation
- 3. Inform your doctor regarding any supplements you are on. These can often affect the results of an ECG.
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After entering the ECG Test Room
- 1. Patients are asked to change their clothes and wear hospital gowns.
- 2. The health care provider in the room might clear hairs in the chest region where electrodes will stick.
- 3. ECG practitioners will order you to lie down on the laboratory table or hospital bed straight on the back.
- 4. ECG practitioners will stick 12 electrodes on the chest and arms. They record the electrical signals that make the heartbeat. A computer records the information and displays it as waves on a monitor or on paper.
- 5. You can resume your daily chores just after your ECG is over.
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Time taken for an ECG
The ECG process normally takes 8-10 minutes. In most laboratories or hospitals, we can get the reports immediately or in a few hours.
Screening ECG does not pose cardiac risk.
An ECG is a non-invasive procedure in which there are no cuts and stitches on your body, so this procedure does not cause any harm to the skin, nor will there be any chance of getting a scar. The electrical transmitting wires are connected to the chest region, which is highly sensitive to detect even minute electrical signals.
Stay calm and do not get scared with all those wires; they will not cause an electric shock. The wires are not meant for electrical settings; these wires just record the body’s electrical signals.
The only problem posed by ECG is rash or discomfort while removing the bandages that attach the electrodes to the chest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Why did my doctor ask for an ECG test?
The doctor recommends an ECG to a patient who complains about chest pain, heavy breathing, dizziness, irregular heartbeats, cardiac cycle, incomplete heart cycles, etc.
Q2. Does ECG leave a scar?
An ECG is a non-invasive procedure in which there are no cuts and stitches on your body, so this procedure does not cause any harm to the skin, nor will there be any chance of getting a scar.
Q3. How much time will it take to undergo an ECG?
The ECG process normally takes 8-10 minutes. In most laboratories or hospitals, we can get the reports immediately or in a few hours.
Q4. Who can take the ECG test?
Heart problems are hierarchical that means heart diseases run in families. Doctors recommend ECG for the family members of these families if they suspect some heart related issue as they are most likely to inherit the heart disease from their family members.
Adults who do not show any specific heart disease symptoms are advised to avoid this test. In some cases, the heart rate might be slow or abnormally fast due to some diet changes, but these problems do not pose any risk, and the health of the person can be back to normal on its own. Hence, this can avoid heart medicines that are harmful in the longer term.
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