Electrocardiogram
An EKG records the electrical activity of the heart and is used in the investigation of heart disease. Small metal discs called electrodes are attached to the skin on the chest, arms, and legs. These electrodes transmit the heart’s electrical activity to the EKG machine and are generated onto paper for further examination and analysis.
An EKG may show:
- Evidence of heart enlargement.
- Signs of insufficient blood flow to the heart.
- Signs of a current or previous heart attack
- Arrhythmias (irregularity in heart beat)
- Changes in the electrical activity of the heart caused by an electrolyte imbalance in the body.
- Pericarditis