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 DESCRIPTION
The electrocardiogram (ECG ó EKG) is a very important tool to detect cardiopatías and to point at what level is the difficulty when the heart fails. The ECG is a graphic representation of the electrical forces that work on the heart. During the cardiac cycle of pumping and filling, a boss known about changeable electrical pulses reflects exactly the action of the heart. These pulses can be gathered across electrodes given to the surface of the body. The activity of the heart represented by typical waves can be evaluated this way instantaneously in a TV monitor or be printed on a graph paper for his later study.
From his invention at the beginning of the XXth century, the ECG has been the useful one more important than the cardiologist. It turns out to be essential in the diagnosis of the cardiac arrhythmias, and can give information about the presence of ancient or recent cardiovascular disease, and of other problems of the heart.
A portable ECG version exists also in use from 1961, the record Holter, by means of which it is possible to register the ECG of one during 12 p.m. of the day, what sometimes is of interest very much in certain arrhythmias.
The patient takes the electrodes given to the body and connected to a box that includes a recording device. After one or two days, the doctor sees what happens in the heart not in a concrete moment, but along 24 ó 48 hours, studying the carried out recording.
Unfortunately, in many cases nothing happens while one takes the given Holter. In these cases, a monitor can be used transtelefónico, by means of which it is possible to send an ECG by phone when certain symptoms (palpitations, etc) happen. This increases the opportunities to do a correct diagnosis of the different arrhythmias.
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