Electrocardiography

Recording of the heart's electrical activity through electrodes placed on the chest, arms, and legs. It is the first-line test in cases of suspected rhythm disorders or heart attack.

Indication

• Complaints of palpitations, irregular heartbeat sensation, or pulse abnormalities
• Suspected chest pain, pressure sensation, or heart attack (acute coronary syndrome)
• Shortness of breath, fainting (syncope), or unexplained dizziness
• Routine preoperative evaluation and pre-anesthesia screening
• Periodic follow-up of chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart failure
• Monitoring the effect of certain medications (e.g., some cardiac or psychiatric drugs) on heart rhythm
• Evaluation of individuals with a family history of sudden death or hereditary rhythm disorder

Preparation

• No special preparation is required before the procedure; fasting is not necessary
• Do not apply thick cream, lotion, or oily products on the chest as they may affect recording quality
• If the skin is very sweaty or wet, it will be dried first; in men, hair on the recording area may be shaved if needed
• Continue your regular medications unless instructed otherwise, and bring the list with you
• Wearing comfortable clothing with an easily removable upper part will speed up the process

How it's performed

1. You lie on your back; small adhesive electrodes are placed on your chest, wrists, and ankles
2. A conductive gel may be applied to the contact areas of the skin to improve recording quality
3. The device records electrical signals from the heart simultaneously from several different directions
4. You will be asked to remain silent and motionless during the recording; normal breathing is fine
5. The total recording time is usually a few seconds; the entire procedure is completed within 5-10 minutes
6. Electrodes are removed, gel is wiped off, and you can immediately return to your daily activities

Post-procedure

• In most cases, results are evaluated by your physician on the same day
• Depending on ECG findings, further tests such as blood work, echocardiography, or Holter monitoring may be requested
• If urgent findings (heart attack, severe rhythm disorder) are detected, treatment is started immediately
• A normal ECG does not always mean the absence of heart disease; follow-up may be needed if symptoms persist
• ECG findings recorded during symptoms are more valuable; you may be advised to return during palpitations

Risks

• ECG is a painless test that does not deliver electricity to the skin; only signals are read from the body
• Mild redness or skin irritation may rarely be seen at the adhesive electrode sites
• On very sensitive skin, brief discomfort may occur when removing the electrodes
• Rarely, technical artifacts from the device or recording may require the test to be repeated

FAQ

Related Information

Related Medical Services

Other services in the same specialty or with similar indications you may want to explore.