When you look up the ecg test with search words like ecg center near me, you are most likely to come up with the names of various diagnostic centers that have the facility to do this test. If you inspect further, you shall find that there are a few types of ECG. More specifically, there are three types of ECG that are done at the diagnostic or pathology laboratory. ECG is a life-saving test as it can investigate major and minor symptoms of heart problems.

Some of the common reasons/symptoms for which an ECG test is recommended are chest pain, palpitations, dizziness, and shortness of breath surface. ECG is usually recommended in conjunction with other tests to diagnose and monitor heart conditions.

The three common types of ECG test

1. Resting ECG– This is a commonly seen and frequently performed ECG type. In this type of electrocardiogram, the person is made to lie down on the bed still. This type of ECG may also be considered a routine checkup to detect heart conditions and negate any possibilities of complication. The heart’s condition is recorded based on the heart’s electrical activity. This electrical activity is recorded from 12 electrodes on your chest, arms, and legs at the same time. During the process of resting ECG, the person has to be lying down in the bed or sit up for 5–10 minutes. As the test uses 12 electrodes, resting ECG is also known as 12-lead EKG.
2. Exercise ECG– Exercise ECG is also known as a treadmill test or stress test. Contrary to the resting ECG where the person is lying down, this test is done when the patient is walking on a treadmill. In this test, one end of the electrodes is attached to the chest and the other end is connected to the ECG machine. The patient is also made to wear a blood pressure cuff so that the nurse can monitor the blood pressure. Next, the patient is instructed to walk on the treadmill. The intensity of exercise is increased while breathing rate and blood pressure are monitored. Exercise ECG is done with the purpose of detecting any coronary artery diseases. After a heart attack or heart surgery, an exercise ECG is prescribed to determine the safe exercise level for a patient. Due to the nature of the test, the patients are advised to discontinue certain medications so that the test provides accurate results.

Holter Monitor- For continuous monitoring of ECG, the process Holter monitor is used to track the ECG that spans for 24 hours or more. Holter monitor ECG is done by applying electrodes that appear as small plastic patches attached to specific areas. During the course of this ECG test, the entire electrical activity is monitored, printed, and analyzed by the doctors. The result of this test may also be used for future reference. Since the electrodes are linked to a small portable machine that stays attached to the waist, it makes it easier to monitor heart activities at home for a day or more.