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About:
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Electrocardiogram (ECG)
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An <a href="http://www.zoncareglobal.com/ecg-machine/"
target="_self">electrocardiogram</a> (ECG) is a simple test that can be used to
check your heart's rhythm and electrical activity.
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Sensors attached to the skin are used to detect the electrical signals
produced by your heart each time it beats.
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These signals are recorded by a machine and are looked at by a doctor to see
if they're unusual.
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An ECG may be requested by a heart specialist (cardiologist) or any doctor
who thinks you might have a problem with your heart, including your GP.
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The test can be carried out by a specially trained healthcare professional at
a hospital, a clinic or at your GP surgery.
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Despite having a similar name, an ECG isn't the same as an
echocardiogram, which is a scan of the heart.
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<p>
When an ECG is used
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<p>
An ECG is often used alongside other tests to help diagnose and monitor
conditions affecting the heart.
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<p>
It can be used to investigate symptoms of a possible heart problem, such as
chest pain, palpitations (suddenly noticeable heartbeats), dizziness and shortness
of breath.
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<p>
An ECG can help detect:
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<p>
arrhythmias – where the heart beats too slowly, too quickly, or irregularly
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<p>
coronary heart disease – where the heart's blood supply is blocked or
interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances
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heart attacks – where the supply of blood to the heart is suddenly blocked
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cardiomyopathy – where the heart walls become thickened or enlarged
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<p>
A series of ECGs can also be taken over time to monitor a person already
diagnosed with a heart condition or taking medication known to potentially affect
the heart.
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<p>
How an ECG is carried out
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<p>
There are several different ways an ECG can be carried out. Generally, the
test involves attaching a number of small, sticky sensors called electrodes to
your arms, legs and chest. These are connected by wires to an ECG recording
machine.
</p>
<p>
You don't need to do anything special to prepare for the test. You can eat
and drink as normal beforehand.
</p>
<p>
Before the electrodes are attached, you'll usually need to remove your
upper clothing, and your chest may need to be shaved or cleaned. Once the
electrodes are in place, you may be offered a hospital gown to cover yourself.
</p>
<p>
The test itself usually only lasts a few minutes, and you should be able to go
home soon afterwards or return to the ward if you're already staying in
hospital.
</p>
<h2>
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring
</h2>
<p>
The diagnosis, management, and estimated mortality risk in patients with
hypertension have been historically based on clinic or office blood pressure
readings. Current evidence indicates that 24-hour <a
href="http://www.zoncareglobal.com/patient-monitoring/" target="_self">ambulatory
blood </a>pressure monitoring should be an integral part of hypertension care. The
24-hour ambulatory monitors currently available on the market are small devices
connected to the arm cuff with tubing that measure blood pressure every 15 to 30
minutes. After 24 hours, the patient returns, and the data are downloaded,
including any information requested by the physician in a diary. The most useful
information includes the 24-hour average blood pressure, the average daytime blood
pressure, the average nighttime blood pressure, and the calculated percentage drop
in blood pressure at night. The most widely used criteria for 24-hour measurements
are from the American Heart Association 2017 guidelines and the European Society
of Hypertension 2018 guidelines. Two important scenarios described in this
document are white coat hypertension, in which patients have normal blood
pressures at home but high blood pressures during office visits, and masked
hypertension, in which patients are normotensive in the clinic but have high blood
pressures outside of the office. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
has made changes in its policy to allow reimbursement for a broader use of 24-hour
ambulatory blood pressure monitoring within some specific guidelines. Primary care
physicians should make more use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring,
especially in patients with difficult to manage hypertension.
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<h2>
What are the features to look for before buying an ECG machine?
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<p>
<a href="http://www.zoncareglobal.com/ecg-machine/multi-channel-ecg-machine/"
target="_self">Electrocardiography </a>is the process of producing a recording of
the electrical activity of the heart, in the form of a graph, using electrodes
placed on certain specific spots on the body. This graph is called
electrocardiogram.
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For the purpose of producing an electrocardiogram, the standard practice now
is to place 10 electrodes in the following 10 different positions on the body: 4
Limbs ( Left Arm, Right Arm, Left Leg and Right Leg) + 6 on the chest on specific
locations near the heart. Potential (Voltage difference) is measured between two
of the electrodes or a common virtual electrode, called as the Wilson’s central
terminal. Wilson’s central terminal is the average potential measurements between
three of the limb electrodes – Right arm, Left arm and Left Leg. These voltage
difference measurements are called “Leads”.
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In all 12 ‘leads’ are required to complete the ECG graph. These 12 leads
include, 3 limb leads, 3 augmented limb leads and 6 chest leads (also called
precordial leads). While the three limb leads are measurements of potential /
voltage difference between the limb electrodes, the augmented limb leads and chest
leads (also called precordial leads) are potential difference between the limb and
chest electrodes vs the virtual electrode (Wilson’s central terminal).
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<p>
Often people use the term ‘lead’ for electrodes also and hence cause
confusion as to whether there are 10 leads or 12 leads in an ECG machine.
</p>
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