Electrocardiogram (redirected from Cardiac monitors)

electrocardiogram /elec·tro·car·dio·gram/ (-kahr´de-o-gram?) a graphic tracing of the variations in electrical potential caused by the excitation of the heart muscle and detected at the body surface. The normal electrocardiogram is a scalar representation that shows deflections resulting from cardiac activity as changes in the magnitude of voltage and polarity over time and comprises the P wave, QRS complex, and T and U waves. Abbreviated ECG or EKG. See also electrogram.

Normal electrocardiogram.

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scalar electrocardiogram  see electrocardiogram.

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e·lec·tro·car·di·o·gram (-lktr-kärd--grm)

n.

Abbr. ECG, EKG The curve traced by an electrocardiograph. Also called cardiogram.

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Electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG)

A record of the electrical activity of the heart showing certain waves called P, Q, R, S, and T waves. The Q, R, S, T waves are associated with contraction of the ventricles, the lower two chambers of the heart.

Mentioned in: Arrhythmias, Bundle Branch Block, Cardiac Blood Pool Scan, Coarctation of the Aorta, Electrophysiology Study of the Heart, Heart Murmurs, Heart Transplantation, Multiple-Gated Acquisition Scan, Myocarditis, Myotonic Dystrophy, Pacemakers, Patent Ductus Arteriosus, Pericardiocentesis, Pericarditis, Prolonged QT Syndrome, Sydenham's Chorea, Technetium Heart Scan, Ventricular Fibrillation, Ventricular Septal Defect, Ventricular Tachycardia, Women's Health

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electrocardiogram (·lekˈ·trō·kärˑ·dē··gramˈ),

n recording of the electrical activity of the heart. Often used to identify heart problems; routinely performed in patients complaining of chest pain to rule out heart disease. Also called
EKG.

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electrocardiogram

the record produced by electrocardiography; a tracing representing the heart's electrical action derived by amplification of the minutely small electrical impulses normally generated by the heart. Called also ECG and EKG.

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electrocardiogram ECG, EKG Cardiology A non-invasive test of the electrical activity of heart's conduction system, which is transformed into recordings on graph paper–an electrocardiograph; in an EKG, electrodes–leads are placed on 12 specific sites of the body: standard limb leads–I, II, III, augmented limb leads–aV_{r ,} aV_l, and aV_f, and precordial or chest leads–V₁ to V₆; EKG tracings consist of 3 major components: the P wave, which indicates atrial depolarization, the QRS complex–ventricular depolarization, and the T wave–ventricular repolarization; the Holter monitor is a portable EKG recording device worn by an individual for continuous monitoring; the EKG is used to detect cardiac damage by evaluating alterations in the electrical conduction the heart, and can be performed at rest or during excercise–eg thallium stress test; the Holter monitor is a portable device worn by a Pt for continuous cardiac monitoring; the EKG is used to detect the presence and location of myocardial ischemia or infarction, cardiac hypertrophy, arrhythmias, conduction defects. See His bundle electrocardiography, Signal-averaged electrocardiography, Sleep electrocardiography.