EKG Specialist

What is an EKG?

EKG, or ECG, is short for electrocardiogram, a type of diagnostic technology that records your heart’s electrical signals. An EKG is one of the most common methods of checking whether your heart is functioning correctly.

The procedure for carrying out an EKG is simple and painless. You lay on an examination table with electrodes attached to your chest, and sometimes other areas such as your arms and legs. The electrodes record the electrical activity that’s making your heartbeat and display the information as waves on a computer monitor.

What does an EKG reading show?

An EKG reading provides information such as:

Heart rate and rhythm

Dr. Saint-Jacques can measure your heart rate by checking your pulse, but an EKG provides a more accurate reading if your pulse is hard to find or difficult to count. EKG readings show whether you have tachycardia (too fast a heart rate) or bradycardia (too slow a heart rate).

An EKG also reveals arrhythmias, which are heart irregularities. Sometimes arrhythmias are due to side effects of medication, but they may also indicate a problem with the function of your heart. Heart block is a type of arrhythmia that affects both your heart rate and rhythm due to a slowing down or other disruption of the electrical signals in your heart.

Heart attack

An EKG can identify a heart attack, aiding prompt diagnosis and potentially revealing what damage your heart sustained and where. An EKG can also show whether you’ve had a heart attack previously.

Oxygen and blood supply

The EKG reading can identify if there’s adequate blood flowing through your heart and whether enough oxygen is reaching it.

Structural abnormalities

An EKG can indicate whether there are heart defects, enlargement, or other abnormalities.

Why would I need an EKG?

If you’re experiencing symptoms that could be due to heart problems, an EKG is a fast and accurate way of identifying any dysfunction in your heart. Symptoms that would warrant an EKG include:

• Palpitations
• Rapid pulse
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Weakness
• Extreme fatigue or inability to exercise

In some instances, a standard EKG can’t detect the source of the problem because it needs to be recording while you’re experiencing symptoms. If you only have symptoms occasionally or at certain times, chances are you won’t experience any during the few minutes a normal EKG takes.

If this is the case, Dr. Saint-Jacques can give you portable EKG devices such as a Holter monitor or a cardiac event monitor, which you wear for more extended periods. The Holter monitor continuously records heart activity over several days, while the event monitor records heart activity when you’re experiencing symptoms.

To help protect your heart health, call Harlem Cardiology on Madison Avenue or schedule an appointment online today.