What an EKG Test Can Reveal About Your Heart 

An electrocardiogram — more often referred to as an ECG or EKG — is a simple and noninvasive test that provides information about your heart. It’s a common procedure. In fact, approximately 300 million EKGs are performed each year around the world.

If you've been advised to get an EKG by Dr. Asif Aziz, Guiselle Berry, FNP, and the team at Elite Primary Care, PA, in Greenville, Texas, you may wonder what it involves and what type of information this test can reveal. 

What does an EKG measure?

An EKG measures the electrical activity of your heart. Each heartbeat is triggered by an electrical impulse generated by your heart’s natural pacemaker, the sinoatrial (SA) node. 

An EKG records these electrical signals and displays them as waves on a monitor or paper so Dr. Aziz can analyze your heart’s rhythm and electrical activity.

What an EKG can reveal about your heart

By recording and analyzing the electrical activity of your heart, Dr. Aziz can learn a lot about the health of your heart. Your EKG can reveal:

Your heart rate and rhythm 

It can detect whether your heart is beating too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or irregularly (arrhythmia). These conditions can be symptomatic of underlying health issues that may require treatment.

If you’ve had a heart attack

An EKG can help diagnose a heart attack (myocardial infarction) by identifying patterns in your heart’s electrical activity that indicate damage to the heart muscle. It can show if you've had a heart attack in the past or if you're currently experiencing one.

If you have ischemia

Ischemia refers to a lack of blood flow and oxygen —  often as the result of blocked arteries — to your heart muscle.

Because an EKG can detect signs of ischemia, the information from your EKG can help prevent heart attacks by identifying areas of your heart that aren't getting enough blood supply.

If you have a structural abnormality

EKGs can also reveal structural issues within your heart, such as an enlarged heart (hypertrophy) or abnormal positioning of the heart chambers. 

If you have an electrolyte imbalance

Your heart needs electrolytes — minerals like potassium, magnesium, and sodium — to function correctly.  Imbalances (either too high or too low)  in these minerals can affect your heart’s electrical activity, and an EKG can help identify these imbalances. 

The shape of the electrical waves from your EKG test can pinpoint what minerals are imbalanced. For example, a tall, peaked T wave can indicate that you have hyperkalemia or high potassium levels. This is important because high potassium levels can increase your risk of life-threatening arrhythmias.  

If your treatment is working

Certain medications can affect your heart's rhythm and electrical activity. An EKG can help monitor the effects of these medications to make sure that your treatment plan is working as intended.

Get ready for your EKG

Dr. Aziz may recommend an EKG for various reasons, including:

• You have concerning symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or palpitations
• You have a history of heart disease or conditions that increase your risk, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol
• You’re undergoing a pre-surgery evaluation 
• You want to assess the effectiveness of treatments for heart conditions, such as medications 

Regardless of why you need an EKG, the process is the same. This is a quick and painless procedure that usually takes about 10 minutes. During the test, your provider attaches small electrodes to your chest, arms, and legs to record your heart’s electrical activity while you lie still and relaxed. 

Dr. Aziz gets your results and can explain them to you.

Questions about getting an EKG? For this and all of your primary care needs, give us a ring at 903-437-9212 or click here to schedule your next appointment.