Willem Einthoven invented the first practical electrocardiogram (ECG) in 1895 and received the Nobel Prize for it. An ECG records the electrical signals of the heart and is a common, painless test used to quickly detect heart problems. ECGs are often done in a doctor's office, clinic, or hospital and provide information about the electrical function of the heart to help diagnose conditions like abnormal heart rhythms, coronary artery disease, and heart attacks. Different types of ECGs include Holter monitors that continuously record the ECG for 24-48 hours and event monitors that record only at certain times over a longer period.
2. DISCOVERY:
• Willem Einthoven (21 May 1860 – 29 September 1927) was a
Dutch physician and physiologist. He invented the first practical
electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) in 1895 and received the Nobel
Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1924 for it ("for the discovery
of the mechanism of the electrocardiogram“.
4. OVERVIEW:
• An electrocardiogram records the electrical signals in your
heart.
• It’s a common and painless test used to quickly detect heart
problems and monitor your heart’s health.
• Electrocardiograms — also called ECGs or EKGs — are often
done in a doctor’s office, a clinic or a hospital room.
• ECG machines are standard equipment in operating rooms and
ambulances.
• Some personal devices, such as smart watches, offer ECG
monitoring.
5. NEED FOR ECG:
• An electrocardiogram is a painless, noninvasive way to help diagnose many common heart problems
in people of all age.
• Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmias)
• If blocked or narrowed arteries in your heart (coronary artery disease) are causing chest pain or a
heart attack
• Whether you have had a previous heart attack.
• Chest pain
• Dizziness, lightheadedness or confusion
• Heart palpitations
• Rapid pulse
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness, fatigue or a decline in ability to exercise
6. TYPES:
• Holter monitor:
A Holter monitor is a small, wearable device that records a
continuous ECG, usually for 24 to 48 hours.
Event monito:
This portable device is similar to a Holter monitor, but it records
only at certain times for a few minutes at a time. You can wear it
longer than a Holter monitor, typically 30 days. You generally
push a button when you feel symptoms. Some devices
automatically record when an abnormal rhythm is detected.
7. MEDICAL USES:
• The overall goal of performing an ECG is to obtain information
about the electrical function of the heart.
• Medical uses for this information are varied and often need to
be combined with knowledge of the structure of the heart and
physical examination signs to be interpreted.
• Normal persons ECG:
8. PARTS:
• There are three main components to an ECG: the P wave, which
represents the depolarization of the atria; the QRS complex,
which represents the depolarization of the ventricles; and the T
wave, which represents the repolarization of the ventricles.