ECG diagnostic- Rhythmology
What is an electrocardiogram (ECG)?
An electrocardiogram, or ECG for short, is a test that checks how your heart works electrically. This information is important because it provides doctors with important clues as to possible heart problems, such as the heart beating too fast, too slow, or irregularly.
What is an electrocardiogram?
An electrocardiogram, or ECG, is a test that measures the electrical activity of your heart. This information is important because it provides clinicians with important clues about possible heart problems, such as the heart beating too fast, too slow, or irregularly.
The reasons for performing an electrocardiogram (ECG) are as follows:
The main purpose of ECG monitoring is to examine heart diseases and detect abnormalities that may indicate conditions such as heart attacks, arrhythmias, and heart failure.
The examination is carried out at intervals of approximately 10 seconds. ECG examinations are particularly useful for diagnosing and examining common cardiac dysfunctions such as:
Atrial fibrillation
Bradycardia (abnormally slow heartbeat)
Tachycardia (abnormally fast heartbeat)
This allows the severity of the disorders to be assessed, enabling optimal treatment planning.
What is a 24-hour long-term ECG?
A Holter ECG is a portable variant of the electrocardiogram (ECG). The device records the electrical activity of the heart over a period of 24 hours or more, while you are not in your doctor's office.
What are the reasons for having a long-term ECG?
We may order a Holter monitor or event monitor recording for any of the following reasons:
To evaluate symptoms that may be related to heart rhythm. Symptoms may include chest pain, tiredness, shortness of breath, dizziness or fainting.
It is also possible to record and analyze symptoms such as irregular heartbeats, tachycardia, heart pounding or heart palpitations.
To assess your risk of future cardiac events in the case of certain illnesses. These illnesses include, for example, thickened heart walls (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) or heart failure after a heart attack.
To diagnose cardiac conduction disorders, such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by an abnormal electrical conduction pathway in the heart.
To assess the effectiveness of the treatment of complex cardiac arrhythmias;
To measure the variability of the heart rhythm over the course of a day.
Furthermore, it is examined whether you have pauses in your heart rhythm.
What can you expect during an ECG diagnosis?
Before the ECG, you will be asked to undress and possibly put on a hospital gown. A member of our team may shave the hair at the site where the electrode patches are applied. This helps the patches to adhere better to the skin.
When you are ready, you will usually lie down on an examination couch or bed.
During an ECG, up to 12 adhesive patches, known as electrodes, are stuck to the chest and sometimes to arms or legs. The electrodes are connected to a computer via cables. The computer prints out or displays the results. The results are displayed in waveform. The waves are the signals that pass through the heart with each heartbeat.
You may breathe during the test. However, remain still and do not talk. Movement can affect the test result.
How do you prepare for an ECG at our practice?
You do not need to do anything to prepare for an electrocardiogram (ECG). Please let us know about all medications you are taking, including those you have bought without a prescription. Some medications and dietary supplements can affect the test results.
Why choose Dr. Konstantinou as your cardiologist?
Dr. Konstantinou was trained by pioneers in the field of rhythmology-electrophysiology and has extensive experience in the invasive and non-invasive treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, with a focus on atrial fibrillation. At the same time, he worked in a research group on several research projects and publications and focused his doctoral thesis on the topic of invasive treatment of atrial fibrillation (ablation).