What Is An EKG or ECG?

What Is An EKG OR ECG?

The ECG or ECG is a tool used in a healthcare setting to both diagnose and monitor the electrical impulses of the heart. The ECG is used by healthcare providers to specifically monitor heart rhythms, detect and heart abnormalities and diagnose various cardiovascular diseases.

An ECG records the heart’s electrical signals in the form of waves and intervals, providing valuable information that allows healthcare providers to better understand the health of the heart muscle and its rhythm. Natural electrical impulses coordinate contractions of the different parts of the heart to allow and ensure that blood circulates in a normal manner. An ECG records these impulses to show how fast the heart is beating, the rhythm of the heart beats and whether it is steady or irregular, and the timing of the electrical impulses as they progress through the various parts of the heart. Subsequently, any modifications in an ECG can be a manifestation of many different heart-related conditions.

What is the basic foundation of an ECG?

1. A wave is a positive or negative stroke that represents a single electrical event in the heart. There are five primary waves in a standard ECG:

P Wave: Represents the electrical activity in the the upper chambers of the heart otherwise known as the atria.
Q Wave: A downward deflection of the wave.
R Wave: The first upward deflection of the wave.
S Wave: A downward deflection following the R wave.
T Wave: Represents the repolarization or recovery of the ventricles within the lower chambers of the heart.

2. An interval measures the time between two waves on an ECG. The common intervals include the following:

PR Interval: Time taken for the electrical impulse to travel from the atria to the ventricles.
QRS Interval: Time it takes for the electrical impulse to travel through the ventricles.
QT Interval: Time from the start of ventricular depolarization to the end of ventricular repolarization.
RR Interval: Time between two successive R waves (measuring heart rate).

3. A segment is the region between two waves and is measured based on its elevation or depression from the baseline. Segments give information on how well the heart muscle is conducting electricity.

4. A complex is a group of multiple waves that form a single unit. The QRS Complex is the most significant complex in an ECG. It represents the electrical activity during ventricular depolarization.
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Developing an understanding of an ECG may seem difficult at first, but with a basic foundation an ECG you can also gain an increased understanding of the electrical activity occurring within the heart. Whether you’re a healthcare provider or simply someone interested in learning about the mechanisms of the human body, understanding the core components of an ECG is a vital skill. Give us a call or view our class schedule to enroll in one of our upcoming ECG and Pharmacology classes.