Methods to record ECG
ECG:
The electrocardiogram ECG or EKG` is a noninvasive test that is used to reflect underlying heart conditions by measuring the electrical activity of the heart. By positioning leads electrical sensing devices on the body in standardized locations, information about many heart conditions can be learned by looking for characteristic patterns on the EKG.
Explanation:
In a conventional 12 lead ECG 10 electrodes are placed on the patient's limbs and on the surface of the chest. The overall magnitude of the heart's electrical potential is then measured from 12 different angles leads and is recorded over a period of time. In this way, the overall magnitude and direction of the heart's electrical depolarization
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An electrode is a conductive pad in contact with the body that makes an electrical circuit with the electrocardiograph. On a standard 12 lead EKG there are only 10 electrodes, which are listed in the table below. A lead is slightly more abstract and is the source of measurement of a vector. For the limb leads, they are bipolar and are the comparison between two electrodes. For the precordial leads, they are unipolar and compared to a common lead and is described below. Leads are broken down into three sets: limb, augmented limb, and precordial. The 12 lead EKG has a total of three limb leads and three augmented limb leads arranged like spokes of a wheel in the coronal plane vertical and six precordial leads that lie on the perpendicular transverse plane horizontal. In medical settings the term leads is also sometimes used to refer to the electrodes themselves although this is not technically a correct usage of the term, which complicates the understanding of difference between the two. Two common electrodes used are a flat paper-thin sticker and a self-adhesive circular pad. The former are typically used in a single ECG recording while the latter are for continuous recordings as they stick longer. Each electrode consists of an electrically conductive electrolyte gel and a silver/silver chloride conductor. …show more content…
Detach the electrodes from the sticky self adhesive pads
3. Remove the sticky pads
4. Thank the patient and allow them to get dressed
5. Wash hands.
6. Label the ECG with the patient’s details and document your findings. (7)
ECG fig: 1.3
References:
1. Moyer VA. 2 October 2012. Screening for coronary heart disease with electrocardiography. Pp: 518-661
2. Consumer Reports; American Academy of Family Physicians; ABIM Foundation April 2012, EKGs and exercise stress tests: pp: 910-951
3. Federal Aviation Administration. 2014. "Mitigation Strategies for ECG Design Challenges" pp: 111-173
4. Kavuru, Madhav S.; Vesselle, Hubert; Thomas, Cecil W. 2013. Advances in Body Surface Potential Mapping (BSPM) Instrumentation. Pediatric and Fundamental Electrocardiography. Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine. Pp: 315–327.
5. Univ. of Maryland School of Medicine Emergency Medicine Interest Group 2015. Archived from the original. Pp : 717-758
6. Meigas, K; Kaik, J; Anier, A 2013. Device and methods for performing transesophageal stimulation at reduced pacing current threshold. Estonian Journal of Engineering. Pp: 616-628
7. Surawicz, Borys; Knillans, Timothy 2015. Chou's electrocardiography in clinical practice : adult and pediatric 6th ed.. pp :