Electrocardiogram [ECG]

A test to measure the heart’s electrical activity with each heart beat. Wires are attached to the skin of the arms, legs and chest, using soft, stickon discs (called ‘electrodes’). A tracing is printed on paper and gives information about the heart rate and regularity, as well as providing data about enlargement of the heart chambers and thickening of heart muscle, which may provide useful information about the nature and severity of heart problems.