What Does My EKG Reading Mean?

Posted by amazingviralnews on March 11th, 2020

During every heartbeat, the heart muscle produces an electric current. An electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) measures that particular electrical activity of the organ. This non-invasive test involves connecting electrodes to the skin of the chest.

A printout of the results from the test shows a series of lines in the form of a wave. Each line corresponds to an electrical signal from the heart. Doctors determine the full state of your heart by interpreting these lines. 

The lines can show several diagnoses, depending on the length of waves and other things. To most people, EKG results look like random patterns and bring up a lot of questions. For example, whether it’s normal and what does an abnormal EKG look like anyway?

What Can An EKG Diagnose?

An EKG measures several things related to your heart. These include:

• The rate and rhythm mechanism of your heart

• Evidence of increased thickness of heart muscle

• The position of the heart in the chest 

• Damage to parts of the heart muscle

• The abnormal electrical activity of your heart leading to cardiac rhythm disturbances

Each aspect measured by the EKG helps a doctor make a diagnosis. Some examples of diagnoses determined or confirmed by an EKG are:

• Arrhythmia (fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat)

• Coronary artery disease

• Heart muscle damage from hypertension

• Cardiomyopathy (a progressive disease of the heart muscle which makes it harder for the organ to pump blood to the rest of your body)

• Heart muscle damage from a previous heart attack

• Unstable angina, a condition where the heart doesn't get enough blood flow and oxygen

• Heart muscle damage from lung conditions such as emphysema

• Congenital heart abnormalities

• Inflammation of the heart

The diagnosis made from an EKG will depend on whether it's normal or abnormal. Afterward, the doctor may recommend treatment or further tests.

Normal and Abnormal EKG Readings

A normal EKG shows a heart rhythm with a P wave, a QRS, and a T wave. There's a standard amplitude, deflection, and duration that's considered normal for each component. 

The 12 leads attached to the skin during an EKG test show different views of the electrical current through the heart. Positions of the leads and the EKG values help to determine which areas of the organ have any damage. Normal 12-Lead EKG Values are as follows:

In the table, I, II, III, AVR, AVL, and AVF are limb leads, and V1 to V6 are precordial leads. Limb leads give a vertical perspective of the heart, while V leads show the horizontal. 

So, what does an abnormal EKG look like? The values given in the table above are the standard for normal EKGs. So anything outside that range may be taken as unusual.

Sometimes, EKG values are evaluated based on an assessment of the patient. For example, an EKG indicating a rapid heart rate can be normal in an athlete. However, if chest pains and shortness of breath accompany the rapid heartbeat, it may be a sign of something more serious. 

In Conclusion

It may seem straightforward to evaluate whether your EKG is normal or not based on the values given above. However, what's considered "normal" can vary for each individual and their situation. The best person to read your EKG is a medical practitioner.

Along with the EKG, the doctor has to assess you to see if you have any signs or symptoms that may be a cause of concern. A combination of an abnormal EKG and specific signs and symptoms may mean something bad.

A doctor will recommend a particular course of action following an abnormal EKG. This might be medication, surgery, changes in diet, or any other medical advice. You might also need to do more tests to confirm a diagnosis.