ECG Machine
What is an ECG
Electrocardiography is a process of tracing graphically the electric impulses generated by the heart muscles during a heartbeat. The graphic record is called Electrocardiogram (ECG). The machine which records this data is called ECG Machine or Electrocardiograph.
Electrical impulses regulate the working of the heart. Electric wave patterns are produced from various valves from where the blood flows in and out. These electrical impulses generated from the valves are recorded by the ECG machine.
Electrocardiography
Electrocardiogram gives valuable data concerning the condition and performance of the heart. The data provided from Electrocardiogram is helpful in the treatment of heart-related problems.
Many electrodes are attached to the various part of the body to get Electrocardiograms. These lead off the feeble heart current to the recording instrument. The electrodes are usually attached to the four extreme parts of the chest. When the ECG Machine is switched on, an automatic pen recorder moves up and down on a chart paper and records each wave impulse.
Electrocardiograph
The normal cardiogram shows typical upward and downward deflections that reflect the auricles’ alternate contractions ( two upper chambers) and the ventricles ( two lower chambers) of the heart. The first upward deflection, P, is the atrial complex. The other deflections Q,R,S and T are all due to the ventricles’ action and are known as ventricular complexes.
Any deviation from the standard in a specific Electrocardiogram is indicative of a potential heart issue. Different types of heart disorders can be detected with Electrocardiogram‘s help. By analyzing the data, it can tell whether the heart is enlarged and where the enlargement had occurred, even tells us about the heart action, whether it is irregular and where the irregularity had originated, whether a coronary vessel is occluded and where the occlusion is located, or whether a slow rate physiological or caused by the heart block. An Electrocardiogram may also reveal high blood pressure, thyroid disease, and certain types of malnutrition.
During the late 1960s, computerized ECG Machine came into use in many leading hospitals.