A line graph that shows changes in the electrical activity of the heart over time. It is made by an instrument called an electrocardiograph. The graph can show that there are abnormal conditions, such as blocked arteries, changes in electrolytes (particles with electrical charges), and changes in the way electrical currents pass through the heart tissue.
Definition (CSP)
measurement and interpretation of electrical manifestations of heart activity.
Definition (MSH)
Recording of the moment-to-moment electromotive forces of the HEART as projected onto various sites on the body's surface, delineated as a scalar function of time. The recording is monitored by a tracing on slow moving chart paper or by observing it on a cardioscope, which is a CATHODE RAY TUBE DISPLAY.
Definition (NCI)
A procedure which records the electrical current in the heart in the form of a continuous strip graph. The electrocardiography results may determine whether the heart is performing normally or suffering from abnormalities, may indicate coronary artery blockages, can be used for detecting calcium, magnesium and other electrolyte disturbances, allow the detection of conduction abnormalities, indicate the physical shape of a patient during stress test and provide information on the physical condition of the heart.