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ECG Full form

Full form of ECG

The full form of ECG is an Electrocardiogram, a measurement of the heart's electrical impulses. It is how doctors detect heart rhythm abnormalities and diagnose many cardiovascular diseases.

What is ECG?

An ECG is a short form of electrocardiography. It is a test by which a doctor can identify a problem in the heart's rhythm and activity to provide better and more accurate treatment for the patient's pain. The device's sensors are attached to the patient's skin and record the electrical signal the heart produces with each beat.

A cardiologist will suggest an ECG to the patient if they detect any heart rhythm irregularities. It is performed when the patient suffers from arrhythmia, ischemic heart disease, heart attack, chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, and fluctuating high or low heart rate.

Interpretation of ECG

An electrocardiograph is a device that measures the electrical conductivity of the heart. ECG theory includes;

  • Depolarization of the heart toward the positively charged electrodes that produce a positive deflection
  • Depolarization of the heart toward the negatively charged electrode (away from the positively charged electrode) causes a negative deflection.
  • Repolarization of the heart toward the positively charged electrodes, which produces a negative deflection
  • Repolarization of the heart toward the negatively charged electrodes (away from the positively charged electrodes) produces a positive deflection.

A normal heart rhythm produces four waves, and they are; P wave (represents arterial depolarization), QRS complex wave (represents ventricular depolarization), T wave (represents ventricular repolarization), and U wave (represents papillary muscle repolarization). Any abnormality in the heart's structure or surroundings causes these four wave patterns to change.

The ECG is recorded on a graph or grid where the x-axis (horizontal) represents time per second. In contrast, the y-axis (vertical) represents voltage in millivolts (1 mm represents 40 milliseconds on the horizontal axis and 0.1 millivolts on the vertical axis).

Types of ECG tests

It is two types that a doctor can suggest;

  1. Holter monitor: This checks the heart’s electrical activity for 24 hours a day or 1-2 days. This is suggested by the doctor when insufficient blood flows to the heart, or you have heart palpitations or abnormal heart rhythm. It is a painless process.
  2. Event monitor: This is suggested by the doctor when you have signs and symptoms only now and then, i.e., for a shorter time.

Performance of ECG 

  • The doctor or the lab technician who is doing ECG will ask you to lie down on a bed.
  • Then he cleans the patient’s chest, arms, and legs.
  • Now he will attach the small patched electrodes of the machine to the areas mentioned above of the patient’s body.
  • These electrodes are, in turn connected to the device which records the electrical signal of the heart into wavy lines that are printed on paper.
  • Finally, the doctor read the results and diagnosed the patient.