Research Paper on Elctrocardiogram (Ecg)

Introduction The major function of the heart and soul is to force p argonntage in to a closed system of declivity vessels within which the blood is confines and circulated to the ideal proboscis. Hearts legal action can be comp atomic number 18d to a muscular pump equipped with one way valves. With apiece heartbeat, an galvanising impulse travels through the heart and causes the heart muscle to gourmandize and pump blood from the heart. These galvanizing impulses, transmitted through the heart, are counterpane throughout the body. This electrical activity of the heart can be spy on the bodys surface and recorded with an instrument called an electrocardiograph.A intense record of heart activity is called an electrocardiogram. An electrocardiogram is also called an EKG or cardiogram. Some meters the raise is called a 12-lead EKG or 12-lead cardiogram. This is because the hearts electrical activity most often is recorded from 12 different places on the body at the same ti me. A healthcare provider may advise an electrocardiogram if a person has signs and symptoms that suggest a heart line of work (National Institutes of Health, 2010). Examples of signs and symptoms may include chest pain, breathing problems, unusual heart sounds, trembling etc.However, this test can screen for early heart disease that has no symptoms. An electrocardiogram may be done as part of a bit health exam and may be employ for routine screening before major surgery. Also, this test can be staged to check how well heart medicine or a medical checkup device, such as a pacemaker, is working (National Institutes of Health, 2010). ECG results can be used by the healthcare provider to garter plan interposition for a heart condition. Different types of electrocardiograms M each heart problems are show all the time, and thus a comm provided used 12-lead ECG test is sufficient to detect any of these problems.However, certain issues, such as those link to strong heartbeatni ks, can come and go. They may be present for only a few minutes out of the day, or while execute specific daily activities (e. g. , exercising). In these situations, special types of ECGs are used to help diagnose these types of problems. The different ECGs that can be used in these situations are Stress test During stress testing, exercise or medications are used to make heart beat immobileer and work harder while conducting the ECG. Holter monitor lizard This is a por prorogue device that records the electrical signals of he heart for a full 24 to 48 hour period (Pagana & Pagana, 2010). This is also called as an ambulatory ECG, as daily activities can be performed while corrosion it. Event monitor This is a portable device like holter monitors, provided they can be worn for more than a month and are used to detect abnormalities of short duration and that occur infrequently. This paper discusses 12-lead ECG that is most commonly used in health care settings. invoice of ECG te st and cogitate physiology A typical ECG has leash distinguishable waves or deflections.The relationship between the deflections waves of an ECG and sequential pique of the heart is shown below (The Biology corner, 2011) Figure1. The sequence of excitation of the heart related to deflection waves of an ECG tracing. The first wave, the small P wave, lasts about 0. 08 s (Marieb & Mitchell, 2010). This wave results from movement of the depolarization wave from the hearts SA inspissation through atria. The second wave, the QRS daedal is the largest waves of all the three waves. It results from ventricular depolarization and precedes ventricular contraction.Average duration of the QRS complex is 0. 08 s (Marieb & Mitchell, 2010). A pro foresightfuled QRS complex may indicate a right or left cumulus branch block in which one ventricle is contracting later on than the other. The third wave, the T wave is caused by ventricular depolarization and typically lasts about 0. 16 s (Marieb & Mitchell, 2010). The P-R interval represents the time between the starting line of atrial depolarization and ventricular depolarization and it lasts about 0. 16 to 0. 18 s. A longer interval may suggest a partial(p) AV heart block caused by damage to the AV node (Marieb & Mitchell, 2010).Lack of impulses through AV node may indicate a descend heart block. The Q-T interval is the period from the beginning of ventricular depolarization and repolarization that ordinarily lasts 0. 31 to 0. 41 s (Marieb & Mitchell, 2010). The shorter Q-T interval may indicate tachycardia, and a longer may indicate bradycardia. Normal/abnormal findings In a healthy heart, the size, duration and timing of the deflection waves tend to be consistent. For this reason, changes in the pattern or timing of the ECG may reveal a diseased or damaged heart or problems with the hearts onduction system (Marieb & Mitchell, 2010). An ECG gives two major kinds of information. First, by measuring time intervals on the ECG, a doctor can determine how long the electrical wave takes to pass through the heart (Pagana & Pagana, 2010). Finding out how long the wave takes to travel from one part of the heart to the next shows if the electrical activity is normal or slow, fast or irregular. Second, by measuring the measure of electrical activity passing through the heart muscle, a cardiologist may be able to find out if part of the heart are too large or are overworked (Pagana & Pagana, 2010).Normal ECG values include a heart rate of 60 to100 beats /min and an even and consistent heart rhythm (National Institutes Of Health, 2010). deviate ECG results may indicate a sign of following health issues Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) Cardiac muscle taint Congenital heart defect Faster than normal heart rate (tachycardia) Slower than normal heart rate (bradycardia) Heart valve disease Inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) Changes in the amount of electrolytes (chemicals in the blood) Past heart attack Present or be heart attackAn electrocardiogram may be performed to diagnose additional conditions which are non listed above. ECG Procedure and Patient preparation The patient does not need to take any special steps before having an electrocardiogram. However, the lactate may ask about the medicines the patient is taking as several(prenominal) medicines can venture the results. Also, the cheer performing the test may give studyion the patient to avoid exercising or drinking cold irrigate immediately before an ECG, as it may cause false results. The effect of an ECG is painless and harmless. A nurse will attach soft, sticking patches called electrodes to the peel off of chest, arms, and legs.The patches are about the size of a quarter. Often, 12 patches are attached to patients body. This helps detect the hearts electrical activity from umpteen areas at the same time. The nurse may have to shave areas of the skin to help the patches stick. After the patches are pl aced on patients skin, he/she will lie still on a table while the patches detect hearts electrical signals (Pagana & Pagana, 2010). During the ECG recording, nurse may instruct the patient to lie quietly for 10-20 seconds, because the electrocardiograph will detect any muscle or body movement.A machine will record these signals on graph paper or display them on a screen. The entire test will take about 10 minutes. After an electrocardiogram, the nurse will remove the electrodes (soft patches) from the patients skin. Patient may civilise a foolhardy or redness where the EKG patches were attached. This mild rash often goes away without treatment. Patient usually can go prat to his/her normal daily routine after an ECG. Summary An electrocardiogram is a painless, non-invasive diagnostic test that records hearts electrical activity.This test shows, how fast a heart beats, whether the rhythm of the heart is regular or irregular and the strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through each part of the heart. Healthcare providers use this test to study and detect numerous heart problems and the results of this test can also suggest other disorders that affect heart function. Conducting an ECG when appropriate is a primary step in increasing a patients survival, and leads to a clearer, gained understanding of what is genuinely happening to a patients heart.