An ECG (Electrocardiogram) machine is a medical device used to measure and record the electrical activity of the heart over a period of time. It helps in diagnosing various cardiac conditions like arrhythmias, heart attacks, and other heart-related abnormalities.
📌 Core Components
- Electrodes
- Leads (e.g., Lead I, Lead II, Lead III, aVR, aVL, aVF, V1–V6)
- Amplifier
- Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC)
- Monitor/Display Screen
- Thermal Printer
- Patient Cable
- Electrode Gel
🛠️ Types of ECG Machines
- 12-lead ECG machine (standard clinical use)
- 3-lead ECG monitor (used in continuous monitoring)
- 5-lead ECG system (common in ICUs)
- Holter monitor (24-48 hr monitoring)
- Portable ECG / Handheld ECG
- Wireless ECG
- Resting ECG
- Stress ECG / Exercise ECG
- Telemetry ECG
📊 Common Parameters Measured
- Heart Rate
- P wave
- PR Interval
- QRS Complex
- QT Interval
- ST Segment
- T wave
- RR Interval
🏥 Clinical Applications
- Arrhythmia Detection
- Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
- Ischemia
- Bradycardia / Tachycardia
- Cardiac Hypertrophy
- Electrolyte Imbalances
- Conduction Abnormalities
1. Diagnosing Arrhythmias
- Detects irregular heart rhythms such as:
- Atrial fibrillation
- Bradycardia (slow heart rate)
- Tachycardia (fast heart rate)
- Ventricular fibrillation
- Keywords: Irregular heartbeat, rhythm disorders, pulse irregularity
2. Detecting Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
- Identifies signs of a current or previous heart attack
- Recognizes ST elevation, T wave inversion, and Q waves
- Keywords: MI, STEMI, NSTEMI, ischemia
3. Monitoring Heart Conditions
- Continuous or regular ECG monitoring in:
- ICUs
- Telemetry units
- Cardiac rehabilitation
- Keywords: Cardiac monitoring, telemetry, ICU ECG
4. Evaluating Chest Pain or Shortness of Breath
- Helps determine if symptoms are due to a cardiac cause
- Keywords: Differential diagnosis, acute coronary syndrome, angina
5. Checking Heart Function After Surgery or Procedures
- Post-operative cardiac monitoring
- Evaluates the effectiveness of pacemakers or defibrillators
- Keywords: Post-op ECG, pacemaker function, ICD monitoring
6. Assessing Effects of Medications
- Monitors potential drug effects on heart rhythm, especially:
- QT prolongation
- Electrolyte imbalances
- Keywords: Drug-induced arrhythmia, QT interval, cardiotoxicity
7. Screening Before Surgery or Physical Activity
- Pre-operative evaluation
- Screening athletes or individuals before intensive exercise
- Keywords: Pre-op ECG, sports screening, baseline ECG
8. Diagnosing Heart Enlargement or Hypertrophy
- Detects left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) or right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH)
- Keywords: Chamber enlargement, ECG voltage criteria
9. Detecting Conduction Abnormalities
- Identifies blocks in the heart’s electrical pathways, such as:
- Bundle branch block (BBB)
- AV block
- Keywords: Conduction delay, block, PR interval
10. Part of Routine Physical Examination
- Especially in elderly or patients with a history of:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Smoking
🧪 ECG Machine Features
- Auto-interpretation
- Data Storage / EMR Integration
- Bluetooth / Wi-Fi Connectivity
- Battery Backup
- Touchscreen Interface
- USB / SD Card Export
📚 Usage Procedure
- Patient Preparation – Clean skin, attach electrodes.
- Lead Placement – 10 electrodes typically for a 12-lead ECG.
- Signal Acquisition – Machine captures heart’s electrical signals.
- Display & Print – Graph output on paper or screen.
- Interpretation – Manual or automated diagnosis.
⚠️ Precautions
- Proper skin preparation (shaving, cleaning)
- Correct electrode placement
- Calibration check before use
- Avoid electrical interference
🔄 Maintenance Tips
- Regular calibration
- Electrode and lead wire inspection
- Software updates (for digital systems)
- Paper and ink check (for printing ECG)