What if ekg is normal

Another reason to get an EKG is experiencing heart palpitations or arrhythmia. A person may feel as though their heart skips a beat, that their heart is fluttering, or that it is beating very strongly. Doctors may recommend an EKG here to check for any underlying issues. They may order additional tests depending on the results. An EKG is a risk-free and noninvasive procedure. It does not send electricity into the body and will not cause any pain.

It is an important tool for diagnosing conditions affecting the heart. Most people will undergo an EKG at some point. Although having an abnormal EKG can seem scary, it is important to understand that it is just one part of a proper diagnosis. Many things can cause an abnormal EKG, and not all of them are dangerous. Many automatic processes in the body run on small electric currents, and electrolytes provide this charge. Electrolytes are present throughout the….

Atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, can lead to fatal heart complications if it reaches a severe enough stage. A doctor can identify some types of atrial…. Here, learn to recognize a heart attack and what to do next. We also describe treatment and recovery and provide tips for prevention. What causes an abnormal EKG result? Medically reviewed by Gerhard Whitworth, R. EKG results. What causes an abnormal EKG? When do you need an EKG? Latest news Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes.

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I want to get healthier. Close Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss Close Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School. A number of other tests may also be used to help detect a previous heart attack. Here are common tests a doctor may recommend. A Holter monitor is a type of EKG that measures the electrical activity of your heart over a period of 24 hours or longer.

During the test, electrodes attached to your chest send information about the electrical activity of your heart to a small, battery-powered device. Your doctor may recommend using a Holter monitor if they need more information than they can get from a traditional EKG. One substance commonly used as a marker of a heart attack is troponin. Levels of this protein remain elevated in the blood for up to 2 weeks after a heart attack.

A coronary CT angiogram uses X-rays to produce an image of the arteries that bring blood to your heart. A special dye is injected into your bloodstream that allows the doctor to view the dye as it flows through the arteries. During a cardiac catheterization , a long tube called a catheter is inserted through a puncture in your skin and inserted into an artery leading to your heart.

A contrast dye is injected into your bloodstream so that the doctor can examine your heart. An echocardiogram uses ultrasound waves to show a live image of your heart.

A cardiac MRI uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce a three-dimensional image of your heart. An MRI allows the doctor to identify a lack of blood flow to a certain area, or to see if part of your heart is damaged.

A silent heart attack is a heart attack that has few or no symptoms. You may also have an elevated risk of mortality because the lack of symptoms often delays medical treatment. Fatigue, mild chest pain that feels like indigestion, and flu-like symptoms are all possible signs. Silent heart attacks are caused by a lack of blood flow to your heart like traditional heart attacks.

Improving your overall cardiovascular health and regularly getting checkups can help minimize your risk. An EKG can help identify a previous heart attack by screening for abnormalities in the electrical activity of your heart. EKG results are often best used in combination with blood tests and imaging techniques to reduce the chances of a false positive.

Research suggests that they may be best used in combination with blood tests and a calcium coronary scan for this purpose.