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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Is The Purpose Of ECG Test?

Hey, I did the ECG test twice in one day because my doctor said that there has been a change, and that I need to see a specialist for it. I asked if there was something wrong with my heart but the doctor just said that he didn t know for sure. Is there something wrong with my heart?
Tue, 25 Apr 2017
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Pulmonologist,  's  Response
Hello
Thanks for posting here.
ECG is a test that records the electrical activity in the heart. It can give us a lot of information about heart conduction disturbances, disturbances in heart rhythm, heart attack etc.
however it has its shortcomings also. EKG may show variabilities from normal in person to person hence some changes may be present which are termed as non specific changes. Your doctor must have asked you to repeat EKG because he has found some non specific changes.
Also an EKG may be normal when there is no chest pain or associated complaints.
Do in order to go ahead and determine whether you have a heart disease, please get a treadmill test done which will show if there are any blockages in the heart. Treadmill test has a good sensitivity of about 70%, that means it will diagnose 70% of patients with significant heart blockages.
If treadmill test comes positive then you must get worked up further for heart disease. I usually advice all my patients above 40 to undergo a TMT annually.
wishing you good health
Regards
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What Is The Purpose Of ECG Test?

Hello Thanks for posting here. ECG is a test that records the electrical activity in the heart. It can give us a lot of information about heart conduction disturbances, disturbances in heart rhythm, heart attack etc. however it has its shortcomings also. EKG may show variabilities from normal in person to person hence some changes may be present which are termed as non specific changes. Your doctor must have asked you to repeat EKG because he has found some non specific changes. Also an EKG may be normal when there is no chest pain or associated complaints. Do in order to go ahead and determine whether you have a heart disease, please get a treadmill test done which will show if there are any blockages in the heart. Treadmill test has a good sensitivity of about 70%, that means it will diagnose 70% of patients with significant heart blockages. If treadmill test comes positive then you must get worked up further for heart disease. I usually advice all my patients above 40 to undergo a TMT annually. wishing you good health Regards