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Heart disease is a growing concern in the country today. It is estimated that there are a whopping 30 million heart patients in India. One of the best approaches to determine your risk of heart disease is to go for up-to-date ECG tests. At Apollo Clinic, we constantly highlight the importance of preventive tests and check-ups in ensuring that your heart is healthy.

What is an ECG?

Our heart has a natural electrical system which causes it to contract and pump blood to the body. An ECG or Electrocardiogram is a test that examines the electrical activity of your heart. An ECG depicts the heart’s activity as line tracings on paper. The spikes and dips are called waves.

How is an ECG conducted?

An Electrocardiogram test is a safe test. You will be asked to lie down on a table or bed. Some areas on your chest, arms and legs will be cleaned and may be shaved to create a smooth, clean surface for the electrodes to adhere properly. Numerous electrodes are then attached to the skin on your arms, legs and chest. No electricity passes through the machine to your body, and there is no danger of an electric shock. They may feel cool when placed on your chest. These are linked to a machine which traces your heart activity on paper. You would have to lie very still and breathe regularly during the test. You shouldn't talk during the test. You may also be asked to hold your breath. The test lasts for 5-10 minutes, followed by the wiping of electrode paste.

How can I prepare for an ECG scan?

Some basic preparation and discussion is needed before an ECG              

Ensure that you tell your doctor about all the medication you take, including over-the-counter ones as there are many medicines that affect the results of this test
Remove all jewellery from your arms, wrists and neck
How does an ECG help?

An ECG contributes to:

• Identify the cause of unexplained chest pressure or pain. The cause could be a heart attack, insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle (angina) or inflammation of the sac that protects and surrounds the heart (pericarditis).
• Identify the cause of symptoms of cardiovascular disease such as palpitations, fainting, dizziness, shortness of breath
• Identify if the walls of the heart chambers are too thick
• Check how efficiently medication is working and whether they are causing any side-effects that affect the heart
• Check how efficiently mechanical devices such as pacemakers implanted in the heart are working
• Check how healthy the heart is when other conditions such as diabetes, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history of heart disease are present

Apollo Support

At Apollo Clinic, we use state-of-the-art ECG equipment, follow stringent protocols and have highly skilled and experienced internists, physicians, cardiologists, surgeons, cardiac, nurses and support staff to make sure that each ECG result is accurate.