ECG - Electrocardiogram Worldwide

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What Is an Electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG)? The (ECG or EKG) is a diagnostic tool that is routinelyused to assess the electrical and muscular functions of the heart. While it isa relatively simple test to perform, the interpretation of the ECG tracingrequires significant amounts of training. Numerous textbooks are devoted to thesubject. The heart is a two stage electrical pump and theheart's electrical activity can be measured by electrodes placed on the skin.The electrocardiogram can measure the rate and rhythm of the heartbeat, as wellas provide indirect evidence of blood flow to the. A standardized system has been developed for theelectrode placement for a routine ECG. Ten electrodes are needed to produce 12electrical views of the heart. An electrode lead, or patch, is placed on eacharm and leg and six are placed across the chest wall. The signals received fromeach electrode are recorded. The printed view of these recordings is theelectrocardiogram. By comparison, a heart monitor requires only threeelectrode leads – one each on the right arm, left arm, and left chest. It onlymeasures the rate and rhythm of the heartbeat. This kind of monitoring does notconstitute a complete ECG.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) measures blood pressure at regular intervals. It is believed to be able to reduce the white coat hypertension effect in which a patient's blood pressure is elevated during the examination process due to nervousness and anxiety caused by being in a clinical setting. Out-of-office measurements are highly recommended as an adjunct to office measurements by almost all hypertension organizations

As thecardiac monitor is most commonly used to monitor electrical activity of theheart, the patient can expect the following preparations. The sites selectedfor electrode placement on the skin will be shaved and cleaned causing surfaceabrasion for better contact between the skin and electrode. The electrode willhave a layer of gel protected by a film, which is removed prior to placing theelectrode to the skin. Electrode patches will be placed near or on the rightarm, right leg, left arm, left leg, and the center left side of the chest. Thecable will be connected to the electrode patches for the measurement of afive-lead electrocardiogram. Additional configurations are referred to asthree-lead and 12-lead electrocardiograms. If noninvasive blood pressure isbeing measured, a blood pressure cuff will be placed around the patient's armor leg. The blood pressure cuff will be set to inflate manually orautomatically. If manual inflation is chosen, the cuff will only inflate at theprompting of the health care provider, after which a blood pressure will bedisplayed. During automatic operation, the blood pressure cuff will inflate attimed intervals and the display will update at the end of each measurement. Disposable pressure transducers require areference to atmosphere, called zeroing, which is completed before monitoringpatient pressures. This measurement will