What is an electrocardiogram (or electrocardiography)?
This is a test used to find out if the heart rate and rhythm are normal or if heart damage has occurred. It’s a graphic record of the heart’s electrical impulses. A Holter monitor is a 24-hour portable monitor of the electrocardiogram, used to detect heart rhythm problems, ischemia (is-KE’me-ah) or other problems. Ischemia means inadequate blood flow to the heart muscle. What is a 12-lead electrocardiogram? When an electrocardiogram is done, several wires, or “leads,” are usually attached to the arms, legs and chest. This is called a “12-lead ECG.” It allows a doctor to take 12 different recordings at the same time. Each lead records the same electrical impulse, but from a different position in relation to the heart. What is a signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG)? This is called a high-resolution ECG or late potential study. Computers are used to amplify and enhance the ECG signal. Small electrical currents, called ventricular (ven-TRIK’u-ler) late potentials, can be recorded with
