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.

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.

EKG machines are still one of the most important diagnostic tools used in health care environments and doctors rely on them to save lives or diagnose the presence of heart disease. By detecting and recording the electrical impulses of the heart, an EKG machine informs physicians of cardiac abnormalities. ECG machine tests can also be used as part of an overall physical exam, particularly for older patients.

While most EKG machines are used when a patient is lying on an examination table, doctors often order stress tests to test the heart’s reaction to physical activity. Either way, a set of electrodes are attached to the patient’s arms, legs and chest. Each electrode, or lead, is connected to an EKG machine, which then measures the electrical activity of the heart from various angles.

Once a technician starts the machine, it starts to record electrical activity in the form of wave tracings. These measurements appear on the machine’s screen in real time, and are also printed out on paper for later analysis. If any immediate abnormalities are evident, they are marked up for future examination by a doctor.

The three waves used in accurate EKG machine readings are the P, QRS and T waves. P waves are low-amplitude waves that measure the impulses from the atria. QRS waves are high-amplitude and measure ventricular impulses, and T waves indicate renewal of the ventricle.

Even though electrodes are used to measure electrical activity in the heart, for patients an ECG machine test is painless. However, most doctors recommend that patients avoid drinking cold water right before the test, since it can cause changes in the heart’s T-wave.

In summary, an EKG machine is a helpful tool to help doctors assess their patients’ overall heart health and determine whether chest pains are caused by heart disease.

In order for the heart to effectively pump blood through our bodies, an electrical system of impulses must be working properly.

An EKG machine can measure the efficiency of the heart’s electrical impulses, but some wonder how the heart’s electrical conduction system works in the first place. Here is a brief overview:

Here is what is required for the heart to pump effectively:

* Substantial delay between atrial and ventricular activity: This “delay” between impulses allows the atria (or upper chambers) to completely empty their contents into the lower chambers, or ventricles. If the two chambers were to contract simultaneously, this would result in inefficient filling or back flow. In order to maintain this delay, the atria are electrically isolated from the ventricles.
* Coordinated ventricular cell contraction must be present. In order to maximize systolic pressure, forcing the blood through the body, all ventricular cells must work in concert. This contraction, or depolarization process, squeezes blood in one direction, toward the exit of the heart, because the ventricular cells contact simultaneously.
* After contracting, the heart muscle needs to relax in order to fill up again. Any sustained contraction of the heart muscle, without the necessary relaxation, would be fatal.

An EKG machine can be used to measure the effectiveness of the heart’s electrical system, and provide an early diagnosis of any problems.

Because the cardiac muscle has some unique properties from other muscles in the body, it is important to monitor the rhythms and impulses of the heart on a regular basis, particularly if the patient suffers from hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, habitual smoking, or has a family history of heart disease. Maintaining the health of the heart’s electrical rhythms through regular EKG machine testing can be the best preventive medicine for high risk or elderly patients.

One of the most innovative new technologies of the 20th century was the electrocardiogram (EKG machine). Designed for the diagnosis of heart disease, the EKG machine was considered a major advancement in modern medicine. Early EKG machines were much bulkier than today’s lightweight and portable machines, but they work on the same principle – the measurement of the electrical impulses of the heart.

In its early days, the patients were required to place their hands and feet in a sodium chloride bath, since water is a conductive method to detect the electric impulses of the heart. A more accurate method was introduced later with the use of electrical wires, which were later replaced by the electrodes we use today. These modern methods of EKG testing make it much easier to perform, while being safer, more comfortable and accurate.

How is EKG testing done?

A typical EKG test requires a patient to lay on their doctor’s examination table, but some doctors use EKG machines to perform stress tests as well. Here, electrodes are attached to a patient and then they are asked to perform moderate exercise, such as walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike. The results of a stress test will give the doctor a better understanding of how a patient’s heart patterns change during physical activity.

How are EKG tests used to diagnose heart problems?

An EKG machine works by picking up electrical impulses emitted from various points of the body, wherever an electrode is placed. Typically, doctors use a 10-12 electrode test that measures the heart’s impulses as they are graphically output into readable waves. These continuous waves are then amplified and displayed on a monitor or printed out for later interpretation by a physician.

EKG machines can detect an irregular heartbeat, arrhythmia or angina and diagnose the symptoms of heart disease. It can also detect whether the heart’s chamber walls are too thick, determine whether prescribed heart medicines are effective, and check on any implanted heart devices, such as pacemakers.

When the time comes to purchase a new EKG machine for your office or medical center, it may help to consult with those who use it the most. Only they will know which features and functions are missing from your current machine, and help you make the right purchasing decision.

Here are some key features to consider for your next EKG machine:

What size paper does the machine use?

Some EKG machines use 60 mm strips and others use EKG paper in half-sized sheets.
Using even smaller paper, such as the 3×4x1 format, may save money in the long run.
It is possible to buy a machine that uses 8.5 x 11” paper. While the paper costs may be higher, it is easier to handle and file these printouts.

Does the machine come equipped with a keyboard for typing in patient information?
When patient demographics appear on their printout, it gives a more professional-looking EKG reading.
However, in some cases it takes too much time for a nurse to personalize the reading for each patient, so this may be a question for your nursing staff.

Does the EKG machine have a screen?
Most medical professionals prefer to have a screen, since it verifies that all leads are working properly prior to testing. It also ensures that the baseline is stable before testing begins.
Making sure that all twelve leads are visible at once, in real time, eliminates the need to switch screens in order to view them.

Does the machine connect to a computer?
If so, make sure the output is based on a system architecture that is compatible with your EMR and EKG management system.
Be careful – Sometimes EKG machines are made to integrate only with the management software made by that manufacturer.

A PC-based EKG machine will allow you to integrate other diagnostic features, to provide a full picture of a patient’s overall health. These user-friendly machines will also allow you to create a searchable database of all EKGs performed, connect to a patient’s electronic medical record, and email results right from your PC.

Many physicians are too busy to spend a lot of time looking for the best buys on medical equipment for their offices. One key piece of equipment is an EKG machine. If your existing machine is on its last legs, you may be tempted to work with a local rep to replace it, but is that really the best deal you can get?

Most reps that specialize in basic medical supplies do not have enough expertise with high-tech equipment like EKG machines to help you make the smartest choice, nor do they have access to the best deals available. Most reps get incentives to promote certain machines, but the one they are pushing you to buy may not be the right one for your practice.

While your medical supplier may feel entitled to your business, when it’s time to purchase an EKG machine, it makes sense to explore other purchasing options.

Before deciding on a new EKG machine for your office, it pays to shop around. Take the time to shop the internet to find the best price, and you may be surprised at the level of service you will get online. Most EKG manufacturers offer authorized service representatives, and are likely to have one in your area. Some of these manufacturers and online stores will even offer to train your office staff on the new machine. In addition, the manufacturer usually handles all warranty and service issues anyway, so you can work directly with them on any repairs.

When choosing a new EKG machine, make sure you look for one that meets all your needs. It may make sense to consult with your nursing staff prior to choosing a machine since they will be more familiar with its operation and maintenance. They will also know which features to look for, such as paper size, keyboard functionality, screen size, and computer compatibility, and may even know which make and model would work best for your office.

The need for mobile EKG machines

Minutes and seconds count when someone is having a heart attack, and medical units in South Carolina are well aware of this fact.  Ever since the invention of mobile EKG machines primarily used in ambulances, emergency medical professionals have been trying to find ways to get them.

This small black machine, with its 12-lead electrocardiograph, can shave twenty minutes or more from the time it would take doctors to diagnose a heart attack.  As a result, all the emergency medical systems in Abbeville, Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties in South Carolina are applying for a grand that would put one of these mobile EKG machines in every ambulance.

Why is it so important to get these machines in every ambulance?

With these mobile units, paramedics could more accurately determine whether a patient is having a heart attack.  By transmitting the patient’s heart readings directly to the hospital emergency room, via Bluetooth, the appropriate lifesaving measures can be taken immediately upon the patient’s arrival at the hospital.

In addition to monitoring the heart’s electrical impulses, these mobile EKG units can also check a patient’s blood oxygen concentration and blood pressure.  Having these new machines would bring these emergency medical services up to South Carolina’s state requirements, enabling them to send information directly to the ER from the ambulance.

Managing Outcomes

According to AnMed Health’s Director of Clinical Outcomes, the average time it takes to get a patient from arrival at the hospital to the balloon valve is 67 minutes.  With mobile EKG machines, 20 minutes or more could be shaved off that time.

Currently, some ambulances in the area use three-lead EKG machines, which can be used to determine an irregular heartbeat, but they cannot show how the heartbeat became irregular, which leaves an additional step for doctors to perform upon the patient’s arrival.

The goal of these grants would be to put a more advanced EKG machine in every mobile lifesaving unit throughout the region.