Read about the latest news on ECG / EKG Machines

Before an electrocardiogram machine can be used in a medical environment, it must first be manufactured and assembled. Each of the various components of the machine are manufactured separately and assembled in one location before the machines are packaged for shipment to distributors.

Some EKG machines use magnetic tape recorders in conjunction with printers, which are supplied by external manufacturers, but the computer microprocessors within these machines can be designed and manufactured alongside other internal components.

Using the latest techniques in electronic processing, EKG machines are technologically advanced in their design. Both the output device and amplifier start with a circuit board, which has its own unique electronic configuration. After passing through an assembly process where the appropriate diodes, chips and capacitors are stripped in, the circuitry is ready for the soldering of electronic components. Once the process of filling in capillary spots with molten solder is complete, the board is cooled to allow the solder to harden in place.

One of the key elements of any EKG machine is its electrodes, the most common of which is the silver chloride electrode, because it remains stable with exposure to biological tissues. In many cases, a selection of different types of electrodes will be included with one EKG machine, each with its own shielded cable for attachment to the main unit.

After all components of an EKG machine are in place and operable, but before it can be prepared for sale, it undergoes a series of visual and automated inspections to ensure it works properly.

Doctors use electrocardiogram (EKG) testing to evaluate the symptoms of heart disease and rule out other serious illnesses.

As EKG testing has grown, so has its uses in medicine. Patients are usually tested with an electrocardiogram when they exhibit the following symptoms:

* Fatigue or weakness
* Shortness of breath
* Chest pain
* Racing or fluttering heart
* Unusual sounds coming from the heart

Also, with people over 40, EKG testing is often used as a part of a routine medical exam, to screen patients for heart disease before symptoms begin. Doctors are more likely to look for early signs of heart disease when a person has had a family history of the disease, especially if that history has occurred in their immediate family. In addition to preventive testing, doctors will also use an EKG machine at routine doctors’ visits to find out how well a heart treatment or medication is working.

Using an EKG machine, doctors record a few minutes’ worth of heart signals at a time, and base their recordings on a 12-lead ECG. The downside to this type of testing is that it only records a few minutes of time. Since so many heart conditions are not occurring all of the time, this type of test is insufficient in detecting these problems. In cases like these, different types of EKG machine testing is done, including stress tests, Holter monitors and event monitors. These tests are able to analyze heart rhythms over longer periods of time, or while the heart is under stress.

For many years, ECG (electrocardiogram) machines, also known as EKG machines, have helped physicians monitor the health of their patients’ hearts. They do this by detecting abnormal heart rhythms and unusual electrical impulses. People with a history of heart disease are regularly tested by their cardiologist with an EKG test, which is done by strategically attaching electrodes to the patient’s body. After a period of monitoring, the results of the test are shown on a computer monitor for the doctor to see, and then printed out or sent to a digital file for later review.

The best way to describe a doctor’s analysis of EKG / ECG testing is that they compare it to the way a healthy heart would look. This is the easiest way for them to see differences in heart rhythm, heart rate and other patterns of the heart’s electrical impulses. In cases where a patient’s heart shows abnormalities, additional testing is usually ordered to determine the nature of the problem, but first doctors will try to identify recurring patterns over time.

Heart rate is the first indicator that a doctor will look at, which can be seen my viewing the spikes and dips on the EKG graph. The “P” spike is the first one, and it represents the impulses generated by the upper chamber of the heart. The flatter of the two lines is the “PR” line, which represents the amount of time between the heart’s contraction and the relaxation of the atria. In cases where this fluctuation happens too quickly, it is called atrial fibrillation. By analyzing the results from EKG machines, doctors are able to quickly diagnose heart abnormalities and recommend medications and lifestyle changes.

In today’s clinical settings, most doctors are using an EKG machine that is centered on strategically placed electrodes. These sensors allow physicians to see a clearer picture of the heart very quickly and assess what kind of cardiac issues are occurring.

In order to detect certain types of heart issues, doctors often place the electrodes from an EKG machine onto a patient while they are walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bicycle. This allows doctors to see learn about what is happening in a patient’s heart while they are undergoing physical strain.

The EKG machine works by graphing the rhythms and bodily functions that relate to the placement of each electrode, and representing the heart’s impulses through a series of lines that show the speed and intensity of these amplified electrical impulses. The doctor can then read the monitor and use this information to diagnose a patient’s heart problems.

Using EKG machines, doctors have been able to save the lives of millions of patients, and today there are a number of well known companies who make these machines. The machines are commonly used in clinical settings and hospitals throughout the world.

Modern technology has allowed doctors to make EKG machines smaller and smaller every year, which is a major benefit to the medical community and patients undergoing frequent testing. In the past these machines were bulky and difficult to use, and they required massive amounts of physical wiring to accurately detect and transmit signals from the heart, but today’s machines are much smaller and more intuitively designed. In fact, some ECG/EKG monitors are so small and portable; they can be worn discreetly under clothing all day long, with data being transmitted wirelessly to a hospital.

Just when you thought there couldn’t be many more technological advances in medical equipment, Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) has developed an electrocardiograph that displays measurable data on a mobile phone. That’s right, an EKG machine that can be worn like an accessory.

This electrocardiograph machine uses a wireless, short-distance communication system and can perform EKG machine testing around the clock while transmitting data wireless, but the best part is, it can be worn like a necklace. The NICT expects this new electrocardiograph to become a staple of personal health management as it will help patients monitor their heart rhythms during everyday life.

Not only can this new device perform an electrocardiogram, it can also measure temperature changes on the surface of the body and overall body posture. Lightweight and portable, it also requires no conductive gel, so it can be worn around the neck all day without making the patient feel uncomfortable. Additionally, this portable EKG machine has a low-power security function, which encrypts the data dynamically for each user and helps reduce power consumption by using only the amount of power needed to remain operable.

Researchers at NICT expect this new device to be sold to medical practitioners who work with chronically ill heart patients and people who require extensive testing to diagnose a heart abnormality. As the demand increases for this portable EKG monitor, global medical equipment manufacturers are expected to offer devices like this at more competitive prices. Look for more information to be released by NICT as the product completes its final round of clinical trials.

Because most heart attacks occur somewhere other than a hospital setting, emergency medical treatment is a crucial element in saving lives. For this reason, hospitals are always striving to improve their “door to balloon” ratio. According to some EMTs, the total time must be less than 90 minutes in order to ensure the best chance of survival.

Ninety minutes may sound like a lot of time, but not when you consider what this includes: the time for an ambulance to arrive, for emergency lifesaving procedures to be administered, and for the patient transferred into a mobile lifesaving unit and transported to the nearest hospital. Once on board, EMTs must stabilize the patient, hook them up to an EKG machine, and communicate with the hospital prior to their arrival.

Mobile EKG machines now play an important role in reducing the “door to balloon” time. Thanks to bluetooth technology, paramedics can now use a 12-lead EKG machine while the patient is en route to the hospital, and transmit the results directly to the hospital emergency room. This information gives emergency personnel a head start on preparing for the patient’s arrival. In a situation where every minute counts, the importance of mobile EKG units cannot be discounted.

One hospital with a real interest in improving their response time is Loyola University Hospital in Illinois. Their Heart Attack Rapid Response Team ensures that an emergency team is available at Loyola, 24/7. This team includes an intervening cardiologist at all times.

Through their partnership with emergency management services, Loyola hopes to dramatically shorten the time it takes them to respond – from the time the 911 call is placed until the heart attack patient arrives is gets the necessary treatment. In most cases, this requires a balloon catheter to be positioned in the blocked artery, which reopens the flow of blood through the heart. Being able to get a patient to this stage of treatment within three hours is crucial, because after that time the risks associated with the procedure may be too high. The sooner the clogged artery can be opened, the better the chance of survival.

Did you know that more than 70 million adults in the US have high blood pressure? So prevalent is this health problem in the US that it has many doctors scrambling to find an effective solution.

Blood pressure is a measurement of the force with which blood is pushing its way through blood vessels and arteries. Any time that blood pressure is up; it means that the heart has to work much harder, which could lead to a number of serious illnesses, including heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke or aneurysm.

Doctors will normally check blood pressure at a routine check-up and order an EKG machine test for older patients or those at high risk for hypertension. The reason why high blood pressure is so concerning is because it is usually an indicator of present or future heart disease, which is the number one killer in America. It can also cause cardiovascular damage and complicate other health problems.

According to most physicians the “normal” blood pressure level is 120/80 or lower. Even a measurement that is slightly higher than this can indicate a condition called pre-hypertension, but high blood pressure is usually diagnosed when blood pressure exceeds 140/90.

Some symptoms of hypertension include headaches, dizziness, fatigue, vision problems, chest pains, irregular heartbeat and nausea. While there are a number of highly effective prescription drugs on the market to help control high blood pressure, lifestyle changes are sometimes the best medicine.

So how is high blood pressure controlled? Proper exercise, a healthy diet, weight loss, and reduced salt and alcohol intake can help a lot, but it is also important to get regular screenings. Most doctors will recommend an electrocardiogram, using a 12-lead EKG machine, as well as a stress test and dietary changes. Controlling high blood pressure can be a quite challenge but “take heart”, it can be done!

EKG machines are used to measure the electrical signals of the heart, but these electrical measurements can often be misleading. This is especially true when EKG machines are used to diagnose left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). In most cases, doctors need to order more tests before coming to a final diagnosis of this disorder.

According to a recent study by the Henry Ford Medical Center, up to 82 percent of patients who were screened with an EKG machine test received a false positive reading and about 7 percent were given a false negative result. This study was conducted with a control group of 500 patients.

When study researchers analyzed the EKG data against other test results, they found that CT scans were a better predictor of the disease. This is because a CT scan takes a series of images of the heart, while EKG /ECG machines only measure the electrical activity. Once a diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is evident, patients are usually given additional testing, such as an echo-cardiogram and an MRI scan.

LVH causes a thickening of the heart’s lower left chamber, and is usually caused by another medical condition, like hypertension, but unfortunately the disorder is often misdiagnosed or undetectable until it has significantly progressed.

Further research must be done to determine the best method of testing for LVH, because it can be serious. People with LVH are often more susceptible to other cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure, myocardial infractions, stroke and abnormal heart rhythms.

Have you ever wondered why a stroke can be a relatively minor event in some people, and a death sentence for others? A recent study shows by the University of Rochester School of Medicine shows that patients with abnormal electrical impulses in the heart are at a much more likely to die within 90 days when they suffer an ischemic stroke.

According to recent research, when a patient’s QTc intervals are greater than 438 milliseconds (in men) and 440 milliseconds (in women) their prognosis after suffering a stroke is not good. QTc intervals are a measurement of the heart’s electrical activity, and are detected with EKG machines.

One important finding in this study was that Emergency Room staff members often forget to review a patient’s current prescription medications to determine they could play a role in lengthening their QTc intervals. When a QTc interval is too long, electrical signals take longer to pass through the heart’s ventricles. A simple EKG machine can diagnose this type of disorder in patients.

Not all electrical abnormalities of the heart are caused by prescription drugs, however. In many cases, it is caused by a genetic disorder or congenital heart disease. EKG machines, which measure the electrical waves in the heart, as well as other cardiology tests, are used to determine the cause of the disorder.

Further research must be done to measure the relationship between QTc intervals and high death rates from an acute ischemic stroke. A recent Mayo Clinic study revealed that only 70% of patients with longer QTc intervals survived for three months after an ischemic stroke, while 87 percent of those without the disorder survived. Also, among those with prolonged electrical intervals who did survive past 90 days, their functionality was poorer than those with normal heart activity.

Overall, doctors should pay close attention to the electrical activity of their patients’ hearts, especially in patients with chronic heart disease. This can be done through regular testing on an EKG machine.

As health 0care technology has changed the scope of medical equipment, the type of available EKG machines has expanded to include fully networked diagnostic capabilities for a variety of medical applications.

If you are searching for a reliable ECG/EKG, there are many companies to choose from. Here is a brief overview of some well known medical equipment manufacturers who offer the best quality EKG machines.

* Philips Medical Systems: One of the largest suppliers of medical equipment in the world, Philips manufactures top-quality systems for every medical need, including x-ray, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, ultrasound, patient monitoring, resuscitation products and of course EKG machines. As leaders in information technology, Philips Medical Systems offers their “best-in-class” information management solutions in every piece of equipment they design.
* Burdick: This leading supplier of EKG machines has been selling reliable equipment to medical offices in America for nearly 50 years. In addition to their cutting edge electrocardiograph technology, Burdick also offers a complete selection of cardiopulmonary diagnostic equipment and IT solutions.
* Cardioline has been serving the health care market for over fifty years by offering a quality solution for ECG diagnostic testing and monitoring, including EKG machines, Defibrillators, Holter Monitors, Stress Testing equipment and other cardiology supplies and accessories.
* GE Health Care: Possibly the most popular EKG machines in use today, the GE Medical Systems line of diagnostic equipment features electrocardiography solutions, Holter monitors, stress testing machines, defibrillators and information management. Their equipment is known for helping physicians make the most informed health care decisions and improving patient care, while increasing productivity in clinical environments.

No matter which manufacturer’s equipment you choose, shopping for new and used EKG machines online is a great way to compare features and pricing.