EKG

An electrocardiogram is one of the most common tools used to check heart health. At Parkview Cardiology PLLC, patient-focused cardiologist Kedar Sankholkar, MD, MS, FACC, offers on-site EKGs to help diagnose arrhythmias, heart attacks, and other conditions in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. To schedule an EKG in a comfortable, convenient setting, call the office or book online. Telemedicine appointments are also available.

What is an electrocardiogram?

An electrocardiogram (EKG) is the most common cardiac test, with 300 million performed worldwide every year.

This test records the heart’s electrical activity using small sensors placed on the chest, arms, and legs.

The signals are plotted on a graph with a horizontal axis representing time and a vertical axis showing signal voltage. Dr. Sankholkar analyzes that information to determine whether the heart is beating normally or if there are indicators of heart problems.

Why did my doctor order an EKG?

Dr. Sankholkar may request an EKG for many reasons. Most commonly, he orders them for people who experience the following:

• Chest pain
• Heart palpitations
• Dizzy spells
• Shortness of breath
• Hypertension
• Personal or Family History of Cardiovascular disease

EKGs are also an essential part of cardiac checkups. Dr. Sankholkar may recommend routine EKGs for people with existing heart disease, a family history of heart disease, or risk factors such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), or high cholesterol. 

If you have elevated heart disease risk, routine EKGs can be an easy, proactive way to protect your heart and whole-person health because they can catch problems long before they cause any symptoms.

What is the EKG experience like?

There are different types of EKGs, so your experience may vary, but the test is painless.

• Resting EKG: Performed while you’re lying down
• Stress EKG: Performed while you’re exercising on a treadmill
• Ambulatory EKG: Performed while you walk around and do normal daily activities

For most EKGs, your technician applies 10 sticky electrodes to your skin, although a Holter monitor may have fewer than that. 

A resting EKG only takes a few minutes, while the exercise part of a stress EKG can last about 15 minutes.

With a Holter monitor, you’ll typically wear the miniature EKG device for 72 hours.

There are no side effects, making it one of the safest diagnostic tools in cardiology.

What problems can an EKG detect?

This test can reveal many important details about heart health, including the following: 

• Whether the heart is beating too fast or too slow 
• Heart enlargement
• Whether the heart is skipping beats
• Heart failure
• Whether a previous heart attack damaged the heart
• Coronary artery disease

Dr. Sankholkar also uses EKGs to help monitor heart health, assess the effects of medication, and help guide treatment decisions. 

If you’re concerned about your heart health or want to be proactive about preventive care, it could be time to schedule an EKG at Parkview Cardiology PLLC. 

Call the Midtown Manhattan office or book your electrocardiogram online and take the next step toward a healthier heart.