An EKG shows your heart’s electrical activity, especially the heart rate and rhythm. It can also reveal signs of irregular heartbeats, reduced blood flow, past or current heart attack, and some structural heart problems.

What it checks

An EKG records the timing and pattern of the electrical signals that make the heart beat. Doctors use it to see whether the heartbeat is normal, too fast, too slow, or irregular.

What it can help detect

  • Arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.
  • Signs of a heart attack, past or present.
  • Reduced blood flow to the heart muscle.
  • Heart enlargement, heart failure, or some congenital heart defects.

What it does not show well

An EKG is helpful, but it does not give a full picture of heart structure or pumping function. If something looks abnormal, a clinician may order more tests, such as an echocardiogram.

If you want, I can also explain what the main parts of an EKG tracing mean, like the P wave, QRS complex, and T wave.