heart and blood vessel disorders
Electrocardiography
Introduction
Electrocardiography (ECG) is a quick, simple, painless medical test that measures the heart’s electrical impulses. During an ECG, the heart's electrical impulses are measured, amplified, and recorded. This record, the electrocardiogram (also known as an ECG), provides information about the Part of the heart that triggers each heartbeat (the pacemaker, called the sinoatrial or sinus node) Nerve conduction pathways of the heart Rate and rhythm of the heart Sometimes, the ECG can show that the heart is enlarged (for example, possibly due to High Blood Pressure ) or that the heart is not receiving enough oxygen due to a blockage in one of the blood vessels that supply the heart (the coronary arteries). Usually, an ECG is obtained if a heart disorder is suspected. It is sometimes also obtained as part of a routine physical examination for middle-aged and older adults, even if they have no evidence of a heart disorder. It can be used as a basis of comparison with later ECGs if a heart disorder develops. Abnormal heart rhythms and inadequate blood flow to the heart muscle may occur only briefly or unpredictably. To detect such problems, doctors may use Continuous Ambulatory Electrocardiography , in which the ECG is recorded while the person engages in normal daily activities. 