What is an electrocardiogram (ECG)?

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Multiple Choice

What is an electrocardiogram (ECG)?

An ECG is a record of the heart’s electrical activity as it coordinates a heartbeat. Electrodes placed on the skin detect the electrical impulses that trigger atrial and ventricular contractions, and the resulting tracing shows waves associated with those events (atrial depolarization, ventricular depolarization, and repolarization). This allows us to assess heart rhythm, rate, conduction, and possible ischemia or damage. Other options refer to different tests: measuring lung function, imaging the heart, or testing blood lipids, which are not what an ECG measures. So this description best captures what an electrocardiogram does.

An ECG is a record of the heart’s electrical activity as it coordinates a heartbeat. Electrodes placed on the skin detect the electrical impulses that trigger atrial and ventricular contractions, and the resulting tracing shows waves associated with those events (atrial depolarization, ventricular depolarization, and repolarization). This allows us to assess heart rhythm, rate, conduction, and possible ischemia or damage. Other options refer to different tests: measuring lung function, imaging the heart, or testing blood lipids, which are not what an ECG measures. So this description best captures what an electrocardiogram does.

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