The electrocardiogram or ECG is a test that takes or records the electrical activity of each heartbeat or cardiac cycle, representing the changes in small electrical currents graphically on millimeter paper in the form of a continuous tape, offering real-time information on impulses or beats, duration and if there are any irregularities or alterations, this test is very important for the early diagnosis of several coronary diseases and their most critical episodes such as myocardial infarction, metabolic alterations, muscle malfunction cardiac and its chambers, such as the analysis of arrhythmias and in the worst cases sudden cardiac death.
Although in the 19th century it became evident that the heart emitted electricity, it was in the year 1872 that Alexander Muirhead, doing his graduate studies, connected a patient with wires in his wrists to record the altered beats of his heart due to a very high fever.
The examination does not present any type of pain in the body or discomfort, to perform the examination the patient must be lying down and without any metal garment, half naked, electrode discs will be placed, with electrocardiograph cables with adhesives or pacifiers, directly on the skin of the arms, legs and chest, thus locating various angles of precision for the heart impulses, the patient should be calm, silent, relaxed and immobile, with a calm and normal breathing.
There are several types of electrocardiogram, in a state of rest that is carried out in a doctor's office, since it does not represent any risk; of effort, which lasts approximately 15 minutes, the patient will be connected to a machine by the electrodes while doing a series of exercises, which is usually on a stationary treadmill or on an equally static bicycle, the test starts slowly with a progressive increase in the speed making a resistance so that the heart has a greater effort, this test is controlled in a clinical center, since patients may present some considerable alteration until the examination is suspended to attend to the patient if they present chest pain or partial or total shortness of breath.
The 24-hour electrocardiogram consists of placing a portable recorder with 4 patches attached to the chest, this records the patient in their daily life with a constant reading of cardiac impulses, after 24 hours it is removed and a reading of the test is obtained..
