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An electrocardiogram is also known as an EKG or an ECG in medical terminology. In simple terms, it is a harmless and pain-free test that measures and records heart rhythm. It can detect electrical activity, as it passes through the various parts of the heart and it can record both regular and irregular heartbeats. Once the heart rate is detected it can be displayed on either a monitor or on graph paper that the physician can read and interpret for the patient.

An EKG machine detects heart activity through electrodes that are placed on the bare skin of a patient. It takes about minutes to perform the test. EKG machines can assist doctors in revealing a variety of health problems such as:

· rapid heart beat

· abnormally decreased heart beat

· irregular pumping of the heart

· abnormal heart muscle size

· heart birth defects

· the presence of heart disease located in the heart valves

· heart attack (past or present)

Doctors might recommend that a patient have an EKG test done either as a tool for diagnosing for screening the early warning signs of heart disease, or to determine the source of a patient’s symptoms. When no symptoms are present, doctors typically only order EKG tests for patients that have a family history of heart disease in their immediate family. Some common symptoms that would cause a physician to order the test are:

· breathing problems

· chest pain

· fatigue

· uneven heart beat

· abnormal heart sounds

Lastly, EKG tests can also be used by doctors to monitor the effectiveness of heart treatments, such as medical devices or medications. Special EKG machines can be utilized so that doctors are able to monitor the heart rate of a patient over longer periods of time. These EKG machines are portable and can be worn by the patient throughout the day.

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For heart patients that experience frequent abnormal heartbeats, portable EKG machines that are now available for home use can be a comforting alternative. When heart patients inconveniently have to visit a doctor’s office to have an EKG test, results are not always accurate based on the timing of the diagnostic test. There are several benefits to using a portable home EKG monitoring device that include being able to measure your heartbeat rate from your home, having access to heart reading activity during your routine daily activities, and most of all, substantially reducing your medical costs.

Monitoring Your EKG from the Comfort of Your Home

When given the option, most patients would prefer to be able to monitor their medical conditions from their home environment. Portable and wireless EKG machines have made this possible with the help of current and advanced technology. Today, heart patients can actually monitor their heart rates for an entire twenty-four hour period, and wireless technology enables patients to have results even while they are asleep. These home devices can then transmit the results, directly from the homes of the patients, through the internet to their medical doctor.

Measuring Heart Irregularities During Daily Routine Activities

Measuring heart activity during regular daily activities is an important factor that cannot be underestimated. This type of monitoring is much more accurate when compared to results taken in a medical office or hospital. A monitor that is able to record your heart rate when you are doing daily tasks like driving, or doing simple household tasks, provides your healthcare provider with a more realistic assessment of your irregular heart activity.

Reducing Medical Costs

Hospital costs are expensive today, even for patients that are covered by a health insurance plan. A home portable EKG machine costs very little compared to an overnight hospital stay. Portable EKG machines are easy to use and some insurance companies may even compensate their clients for a portion of the cost.

Fortunately, healthcare consumers have a variety of options today in terms of managing their home health care needs. With the increase of home medical products on the market, patients are now able to benefit from the many advantages that are now possible due to modern technology.

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