An electrocardiogram (EKG) is a painless in-office test that checks for problems with electrical activity in your heart. It may be used to assess heart damage or diagnose heart conditions such as coronary artery disease. Heart & Vascular Center of North Houston in Tomball, Texas, is a state-of-the-art cardiovascular practice. Under the medical direction of highly experienced cardiologist Jamil C. Mohsin, MD, the practice offers advanced diagnostic tools and tests to assess heart health and function. To schedule a consultation, call or book online today.
An electrocardiogram, or EKG, is a diagnostic test that checks for problems with the electrical activity of your heart. The test translates electrical activity into line tracings on paper.
Your cardiologist at Heart & Vascular Center of North Houston interprets the information provided by the EKG to determine if you have a possible cardiac condition that needs further investigation.
When you visit Heart & Vascular Center of North Houston, your provider conducts an in-depth evaluation to understand your health needs and formulate a diagnosis.
Your cardiologist may recommend an EKG if you:
● Have unexplained chest pain or shortness of breath.● Have an abnormal heartbeat.● Are complaining of weakness.● Have a low tolerance to exercise.● Have a history of a heart attack or arrhythmia.
Though the EKG is a quick and painless test, Heart & Vascular Center of North Houston may only perform the in-office procedure if there’s a concern your symptoms are related to heart health.
During your EKG, your provider at Heart & Vascular Center of North Houston places electrodes on your chest and limbs. These electrodes are attached to the EKG machine.
Your provider has you lie down on an exam table so you can relax. Fidgeting and other movements may influence the results of your test, so you will have to keep still. When you’re ready, your provider starts the EKG to measure the electrical activity in your heart at that moment in time.
A standard EKG only takes a few minutes and requires no special preparation before or downtime afterward.
Your provider at Heart & Vascular Center of North Houston reviews the results of your EKG with you after your test. A normal EKG indicates a consistent and even heart rate and rhythm.
Abnormal results from an EKG may show signs of a heart condition or other heart problem that would benefit from additional testing, such as:
● Stress testing.● Holter monitor.● Event and telemetry monitoring.● Echocardiogram.
Your provider at Heart & Vascular Center of North Houston spends time talking to you about the results of your EKG, what it means, and why additional testing may be needed.