An ECG, commonly referred to as a heart trace, measures the electrical activity of the heart muscle. The ECG provides a wealth of information about the heart, such as whether there is a cardiac arrhythmia, an innocent heart defect, or evidence of a heart attack from years ago.
At present, this procedure cannot be performed at our practice; instead, we request it through the hospital.
When having an ECG, you will be asked to remove your upper clothing, shoes, and socks. After you have lied down on the treatment table, the assistant will place 10 stickers (electrodes) on the skin around the chest, both wrists, and both ankles. Cables are connected to these electrodes to measure the activity of the heart muscle. It is important that you lie as relaxed and still as possible. The medical assistant enters your details into the ECG machine, and the ECG is completed after a few minutes. The ECG is reviewed by the specialist, and the results are often discussed with you immediately.
A few points of attention:
- Do not use body lotion, sunscreen, or other oily products on the skin around the chest, wrists, and ankles before the examination. Oily skin prevents the electrodes from adhering properly to the skin.
- Because the electrodes must make contact with the skin, it is sometimes necessary to remove chest hair. When you have an appointment for an ECG, please ensure that the chest area is as hair-free as possible. The image below indicates approximately where the electrodes will be placed.
- Please remove any jewelry from your wrists and ankles before arriving for the examination. This allows us to place the electrodes correctly and assist you as efficiently as possible.
