EKG

An EKG test examines your heart health by detecting a variety of heart problems. At HealthStone Primary Care Partners in Hollywood, Florida, the team of primary care providers offers advanced electrocardiograms and other effective diagnostic tests to examine the health of your heart and circulatory system. They can help you assess your health, lower your risks, and care for your heart so you can live a long and healthy life. To learn more about EKG testing, call the office or book an appointment online today. 

What is an EKG?

An EKG (electrocardiogram) is a test designed to record your heart’s electrical signals. HealthStone Primary Care Partners uses an EKG to evaluate your heart health and identify abnormalities.

Your HealthStone Primary Care Partners provider discusses the results on the same day as your test or during your follow-up appointment.

How does an EKG work?

Each heartbeat is triggered by an electrical impulse. In a chamber of your heart, your pacemaker cells generate this impulse, and an EKG records the strength and timing of these signals traveling through your heart.

HealthStone Primary Care Partners uses EKG tests to gather information from 12 different areas of your heart. The EKG records the electrical activity as waves on a graph. The different patterns show the electrical phases of your heartbeat.

It usually only takes a few minutes to complete an EKG. During your EKG, you might need to wear a hospital gown. You lay on an examining bed or table, and your HealthStone Primary Care Partners provider places electrodes on your chest and sometimes on your limbs.

Each electrode patch has a wire that connects to a machine. The machine records your heart’s electrical activity. Your provider might need to remove hair if you have hair on certain body parts where your electrodes need to be placed.

You can get right back to your day immediately following your EKG.

Why would I need an EKG?

HealthStone Primary Care Partners might suggest an EKG test to assist in diagnosing numerous heart problems, such as:

• Structural problems with your heart’s chambers
• A previous heart attack
• Irregular heart rhythm

HealthStone Primary Care Partners might use an EKG to identify any narrowed or blocked arteries in your heart that might be causing chest pain or increasing your risk of a heart attack. An EKG can also help your provider evaluate how well certain ongoing heart disease treatments are working, such as a pacemaker.

If you have heart palpitations, a rapid pulse, dizziness, chest pain, or shortness of breath, your HealthStone Primary Care Partners provider might recommend an EKG to check for certain underlying medical complications associated with your heart and circulatory system.

With an EKG, your provider can zoom in and examine critical aspects of your heart’s health, such as the supply of blood and oxygen going to your heart and your heart’s rate and rhythm.

If you have questions or concerns about your heart health, call HealthStone Primary Care Partners, or book an appointment online today.