An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) records the electrical activity of the heart during each cardiac cycle. It detects the P wave, QRS complex, and T wave which represent atrial depolarization, ventricular depolarization, and ventricular repolarization, respectively. The ECG can also detect abnormal heart rhythms such as bradycardia, tachycardia, atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, and ventricular fibrillation. The heart rate is controlled by the sinoatrial node but can be influenced by the cardioinhibitor and cardioaccelerator centers in the medulla which increase or decrease heart rate through the release of acetylcholine or norepinephrine acting on the SA and AV