Okuzeka
Medicine vocabulary · Diagnosis and Tests

ECG

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ˌiː siː ˈdʒiː/abbreviationCore term

In medicine, ECG means: Short for electrocardiogram: a test that records the heart's electrical activity using small sticky pads placed on the chest, arms and legs.

In Turkish: EKG, elektrokardiyografi

How it is used

One of the first tests for chest pain, palpitations or fainting. Doctors do, record or request an ECG and then read or interpret it, describing the rhythm and any changes such as ST elevation.

Example sentences

  1. Get a 12-lead ECG on him straight away.

  2. Her ECG showed atrial fibrillation with a fast ventricular rate.

Common collocations

  • 12-lead ECG
  • do an ECG
  • interpret an ECG
  • ECG changes
  • resting ECG
  • myocardial infarctionDeath of part of the heart muscle because its blood supply is suddenly blocked, usually by a clot in a coronary artery; the medical name for a heart attack.
  • palpitationsAn unpleasant awareness of your own heartbeat, which may feel fast, strong, irregular or as if it is skipping beats.
  • investigationA test or examination, such as a blood test or a scan, done to find the cause of a patient's problem or to check their condition.
  • heart failureA long-term condition in which the heart cannot pump blood around the body as well as it should, often causing breathlessness, tiredness and swollen ankles.

More terms: Diagnosis and Tests

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.