An Electrocardiogram – An Effective Tool for Cardiac Risk Assessment

According to the latest medical statistics, it is estimated that heart disease will be the leading cause of death in the United States for the rest of our lives. This is not a future where we can easily avoid this. While people who live in countries where "heart disease" does not exist are likely to have a good life expectancy, nearly everyone else will suffer from this deadly and chronic condition within their lifetime. And that is why you should go to a leading echocardiology center for your cardiac risk assessment.

An electrocardiogram is probably the simplest and most effective way to identify any problems with your heart's rhythm and electrical activity. With each beat, your heart produces electrical impulses, and sensors can help detect those signals. A machine is used to capture these signals, and then a physician examines them to determine whether or not they are abnormal.

An electrocardiogram may be recommended by a general practitioner (GP), a cardiologist, or any other type of clinician who is concerned that you may be experiencing issues related to your heart. An expert healthcare practitioner can perform the test at a medical facility or your primary care provider's office. It is worth mentioning that even though they have the same name, ECGs and echocardiograms are not the same.

When Your Doctor Might Order an ECG

An ECG is frequently used in conjunction with other tests to aid in diagnosing and monitoring heart-related diseases. Lightheadedness, palpitations, and shortness of breath are all signs of cardiac disease that may be investigated with this test. It may be used for your cardiac risk assessment and to detect certain conditions, such as:

• Arrhythmias, a condition in which the heart beats irregularly or excessively slowly.
• Coronary heart disease, which occurs when the blood flow to the heart is obstructed or disrupted due to a buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries
• Heart attacks, which occur when there is an abrupt obstruction in the blood flow to the heart
• Cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the walls of the heart become thicker or swollen

A person who has previously been diagnosed with a heart problem or who is taking medicine that is known to possibly impact the heart can also be monitored over time using a series of electrocardiograms (ECGs).

Conclusion

An ECG can prove extremely beneficial in identifying certain health conditions. It is an important tool for someone who has a poor diet or has other risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease. But, you need to keep in mind that sometimes, you need further evaluation, and that is when you should consider going to a leading echocardiology center for an echocardiogram, which gives a better indication of your cardiac risk assessment.