electrocardiogram (EKG)

A diagnostic test used to record the electrical activity of the heart. EKGs are used to help doctors determine if a heart attack has occurred, what part of the heart was damaged, if there are any irregular heart beats or rhythm, or if there is a decrease of blood or oxygen to the heart. During an EKG, small electrodes are placed on the skin of the chest, arms and legs. The electrodes are then connected to a machine that records the hearts electrical activity onto graph paper. The test takes about 10 minutes and is not painful.