Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
Your heart is an amazing muscle, with an astonishing system that keeps it pumping. Made up of four chambers, the heart contracts thanks to a natural electrical system that pumps blood through your body. Disruptions in that electrical activity can cause a variety of health problems, but an electrocardiogram, a simple test performed at Mary Greeley Medical Center, can help diagnose those issues and provide a roadmap for treatment.
What is an Electrocardiogram?
Also known as an EKG or an ECG, an electrocardiogram uses electrodes, attached with nodes, to test your heart’s electrical activity, translating it into lines that spike and dip on a readout. A completely safe test, an EKG is completed by a member of the Mary Greeley Medical Center team. Results can be interpreted by a variety of doctors as they evaluate how your heart is working.
Why Do People Have an EKG?
An EKG can be performed at Mary Greeley Medical Center for a variety of reasons, including:
- Unexplained chest pain
- Heart disease symptoms
- Heart chamber health
- The impact of medicines on the heart
- The performance of mechanical devices in the heart
- Overall heart health in the presence of other conditions such as smoking, high blood pressure, or diabetes
