Electrocardiogram (ECG)

An electrocardiogram, also called an EKG or ECG, is a test that records the heart's electrical activity.

With each heartbeat, an electrical signal spreads from the top of the heart to the bottom. As it travels, the signal causes the heart to contract and pump blood. The process repeats with each new heartbeat.

The heart's electrical signals set the rhythm of the heartbeat.

An ECG shows:

• How fast your heart is beating

• Whether the rhythm of your heartbeat is steady or irregular

• The strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through each part of your heart

Doctors use ECGs to detect and study many heart problems, such as heart attacks, arrhythmias and heart failure. The test's results also can suggest other disorders that affect heart function.

ECG  at CHMC