Interpreting EKG Results

Electrocardiogram (EKG) tests help doctors identify and diagnose any present or past heart abnormalities. EKGs are often a part of regular doctor visits for those with a history of heart disease. EKG machines record the heart's electrical impulses via electrodes attached to strategic points on the patient's body. The results are displayed on a computer monitor and then printed out. Physicians or EKG technicians can then determine the patient's heart health by interpreting the printed results.

To get a gage on the patient's heart functions, physicians compare the EKG reading of the patient's heart to the reading of a normal heart. Differences in heart rate, rhythm or contractions between the two readings can indicate possible or past heart attacks, heart diseases or coronary artery diseases. If it is determined that these symptoms exist, further testing is conducted.

There are a wide variety of ways to interpret an EKG result, but most are based on identifying recurring patterns. Heart rate is the first thing EKG technicians look at when reading a set of results. The electrodes cause spikes in the graph reading by stimulating the heart into contracting and relaxing. The first spike (called the "P" spike) indicates the impulses of the heart's upper chamber. A more horizontal line called the "PR" interval indicates the bridge between the contraction and relaxation of the atria. Each EKG has a series of these spikes and dips representing the heart's impulses, with each kind of spike represented by a different letter.

A normal heart will have a spike pattern called sinus arrhythmia, which varies slightly form heart to heart. If a patient's EKG readings do not display sinus arrhythmia, it may be a sign of heart problems. Lack of sinus arrhythmia might indicate the future occurrence of sudden heart attacks or heart failure. In such cases, patients are usually recommended for additional treatment. It is up to the patient's physician to decide what kind of attention and what kind is needed. Often enough though, it is the highly-trained EKG technicians whose word has most weight in making a final decision concerning an EKG reading.

Professional EKG reading demands a considerable amount of education, training, and hands-on experience. Because there are several different methods and a ton of specialized terminology involved, most non-medical-professionals have difficulty understanding how EKGs work and what the results mean. If you're having an EKG performed, your EKG technician should be happy to answer in layman terms any questions you might have concerning your reading.