How an EKG Works?
An EKG machine is typically a portable machine that has 12 leads, or long, flexible, wire-like tubes attached to sticky electrodes. These are placed on designated areas around the heart and on the arms and legs. The electrodes sense the electrical impulses coming from multiple directions. Undergoing an EKG procedure isn't painful. You don't have to do anything special to prepare for the test. The test itself typically takes five minutes or less.
The EKG machine doesn't generate electricity. Instead, it conducts and measures electrical activity.
Typically, the heart conducts electricity in a standard pathway from the right atrium to the left atrium. The electrical current then goes to the atrioventricular (AV) node, which signals the ventricles to contract. The current then flows to an area known as the bundle of His. This area divides into fibers that provide current to the left and right ventricles.
Any disruption in this current can affect the heart's ability to work well. Ideally, an EKG can measure any potential disruptions.
