What is a routine ECG with interpretation and report?
An ECG, sometimes called an EKG or electrocardiogram, is a procedure that measures the electrical signals in your heart. To have an ECG done, you’ll need to remove your shirt and you’ll lie back on a exam table. Multiple stickers, or electrodes, are placed over your chest. You may need to have some patches of hair shaved to help the sticker adhere. Cables are attached to the stickers which transmit the ECG tracing to a computer. The computer will generate a printout that shows your heart wave tracing. The procedure is quick and painless.
Interpretation and report refers to the healthcare provider looking at the printout from the computer and evaluating the tracing. This is the “interpretation” of your heart rhythm. The provider will include a report in your medical record that includes their interpretation of the ECG tracing.
What shows in an ECG?
Despite it being such a simple test, your healthcare provider can get a lot of information from an ECG. Some things it may show include:
- How fast your heart is beating
- The size and position of your heart’s chambers
- Heart damage, like from a heart attack
- Heart failure
- Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
Some reasons your healthcare provider may order an ECG include:
- Chest pain
- Rapid heartbeat or palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- History of a heart attack or heart problems
- Family history of heart problems
- Preoperative clearance for surgery
- Pacemaker checkups
- Follow up on medications
How do you interpret ECG results?
ECG results are interpreted by careful analysis of the electrical tracing. Healthcare providers are trained to evaluate different pieces of the ECG. For example, the heart rate and regularity of the rhythm, and the length of each piece of the tracing give valuable information about your heart. Your healthcare provider will measure sections of the ECG tracing to see if they are in normal range.
What is a good ECG result?
A good ECG result will show a heart wave tracing that is regular with a heart rate of around 60-100 beats per minute. In addition, the shape of the wave on the tracing lacks any sign of heart muscle damage.
How do you know if an ECG is normal or abnormal?
The healthcare provider who reads your ECG will look at several pieces of information to determine if the ECG is normal or abnormal. First, the heart rate and rhythm are important, but other things could cause the ECG to look abnormal. These include:
- Problems with the heart’s shape or size
- Electrolyte imbalances
- Heart attacks or altered blood flow to the heart
- Medication side effects
Can an ECG detect a blocked artery?
An ECG can detect that you might have a blocked artery. ECG changes can happen when blood flow to part of the heart is inadequate. However, after you’ve had a heart attack your ECG may always look a little different because of damage to the heart muscle. So if your doctor suspects a blocked artery, an ECG is only one of several tests you’ll probably need to diagnose the problem.
