Permanent Pacemaker Procedures Diagnosis and Tests

The first step in any cardiac investigation is the electrocardiogram, commonly known as an ECG or EKG. This is a quick, painless test performed in the doctor’s office or hospital. Sticky patches called electrodes are placed on the chest, arms, and legs. These patches act like antennas, picking up the tiny electrical signals generated by the heart electrocardiogram.

What it Measures

The machine draws a graph of the heart’s electrical activity on a strip of paper. Doctors are trained to read these squiggly lines like a language. They look for the “P-wave,” which shows the top of the heart beating, and the “QRS complex,” which shows the bottom beating. They measure the time between these events. If the gap is too long, it indicates heart block. If the waves are missing entirely, it shows a pause.

• It records the timing of electrical impulses.
• It measures the heart rate instantly.
• It shows if the electrical pathway is conducting properly.
• It can reveal evidence of past heart attacks.

Limitation of a Snapshot

The main problem with an ECG is that it only records for about ten seconds. If a patient faints once a week, a ten-second test is unlikely to catch the problem. A normal ECG does not rule out a rhythm problem; it just means the problem wasn’t happening during those ten seconds. This limitation is why doctors often need longer monitoring tools.