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Electrocardiogram
About this test
An electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) is a test
that checks for problems with the electrical activity of your heart. An EKG
translates the
heart's electrical activity into line tracings on
paper. The spikes and dips in the line tracings are called waves. See a picture
of the EKG components and intervals 
.
The heart is a muscular pump made
up of four chambers . The two upper chambers are called
atria, and the two lower chambers are called ventricles. A natural electrical
system causes the heart muscle to contract and pump blood through the heart to
the lungs and the rest of the body. See a picture of the
heart and its electrical system .
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: March 18, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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