Searching for details to know about EKG testing near me? Here is a quick guide to making you familiar with the concept. ECG, usually called Electrocardiogram or EKG, is a frequently used test for spotting heart disease symptoms. The ECG is a quick, painless, and fully safe test that aids clinicians in:
- Detection of a heart attack
- Check the heartbeat
- Examine your heart muscle’s blood flow to see whether it is low (known as ischemia)
- Examine anything unusual, such as thicker heart muscle.
- Determine whether there are any significant electrolyte imbalances, such as excess potassium or low calcium.
The average human heart is about the size of a clenched fist. It is located in the front and center of the chest, right behind the breastbone, and somewhat to the left of the center. It has two atria, also known as auricles, and two ventricles on each side. There are four chambers in total. The main duties of the heart in the human body include pumping oxygenated blood to other body parts, absorbing deoxygenated blood that contains pollutants, and delivering it through blood channels, such as arteries and veins, to the lungs for oxygenation.
Why is it done?
By identifying your heart’s electrical rhythm, an ECG generates a tracing that looks like squiggly lines. Images of many waves that happen between 60 and 100 times per minute with each pulse make up this trace. If your waves are erratic or do not resemble typical waves, you may have heart issues.
Due to the variety of characteristic modifications that occur with different heart disorders, your healthcare provider can study your ECG wave patterns to determine whether they signal particular kinds of heart sickness. An ECG, a simple, non-invasive test, can be used to identify a variety of common heart problems. A medical professional may utilize an ECG to determine or identify:
- Abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias)
- If you feel uncomfortable in your chest
- There is heaviness or restriction in the breathing pattern
- Feels dizzy
How many different types of EKG tests are there?
Certain heart problems do come and go. There are situations in which there might be a need to go for longer treatments. Let’s have a look at the different types of EKG testing:
Test to measure stress
Throughout the stress test, as you work out, an EKG will be continuously monitored. This test is often carried out while seated on a treadmill or stationary cycle.
Holter watch
Your doctor will tell you to visit him regularly for the entire two weeks and then will check the heart, working on analyzing the condition.
Event logger
It can be necessary if you have certain unusual symptoms. Like a Holter monitor, but only records your heart’s electrical activity when symptoms appear. When an arrhythmia is discovered, certain event recorders begin recording automatically. Your doctor can be spoken to directly over the phone.
Capturing loop
Under your skin on your chest lies a piece of technology called a loop recorder. It does the same objectives as an ECG while also allowing for remote, continual monitoring of your heart’s electrical activity. It looks for irregularities that can cause fainting or heart palpitations.
Performing an ECG test
When you arrive at the clinic, a skilled technician will stick ten electrodes with adhesive pads to your arms, legs, and chest. After that, you will be instructed to lay flat on your back while a computer creates a graph paper image of the electrical impulses flowing through your heart. A “resting” ECG is the name given to this examination.
The recording only has to be finished once, and the exam lasts around 10 minutes. To identify a cardiac issue or make a diagnosis, a doctor looks at the pictures and ECG patterns. The findings are then stored for comparison with upcoming ECG examinations.
How to prepare for the test?
The following are typical actions that doctors recommend before an ECG test:
- Put on a blouse or t-shirt that you can easily take off to position the leads on your chest.
- Shave the hair on your chest to increase the connection (for men)
- Your doctor might also tell you to go and wash your legs or body
- There must be nothing on your skin like cream or lotion.
- Do not move your body too much, and also make sure that you urinate before the process.
Conclusion
It comes to the end of your search for EKG testing near me. The ECG is more frequently used as a screening test even though it can provide a precise diagnosis for specific heart diseases, such as cardiac arrhythmia. Therefore, to obtain a clear diagnosis, anomalies detected on the ECG frequently require more conclusive test results. For instance, a stress test or cardiac catheterization may be required if the ECG suggests probable coronary artery disease. Echocardiography is frequently required to look for illnesses such as aortic stenosis or other structural problems if ventricular hypertrophy is present.
