Reasons to Have an ECG

Heart problems can produce a wide array of symptoms.

• Without the benefit of an ECG, it may be impossible to tell whether these symptoms are being caused by a heart problem or just mimicking one.
  
  
• Therefore, unless your symptoms are explained by an illness, injury, or condition known to not affect the heart, an ECG will generally be done.

Common symptoms that frequently require an ECG include the following:

• Chest pain or discomfort
  
  
• Shortness of breath
  
  
• Nausea
  
  
• Weakness
  
  
• Palpitations (rapid or pounding heartbeats or increased awareness of heart beating)
  
  
• Anxiety
  
  
• Abdominal pain
  
  
• Fainting (syncope)

ECG often reveals a problem that is not primarily cardiac in nature. Examples are overdoses of certain drugs (such as certain antidepressants, cocaine, or amphetamines) or electrolyte abnormalities (especially potassium).

If you are about to have surgery with general anesthesia, you will have an ECG to detect any latent (silent) cardiac conditions that might worsen with the stresses of surgery and anesthesia.

People of any age who are in occupations that stress the heart (professional athletes or firefighters, for example) or involve public safety (commercial airline pilots, train conductors, and bus drivers) require ECGs as well.

Anyone aged 40 years or older should have an ECG done. This first ECG serves as a screening tool to detect any cardiac problems and as a baseline for comparison of future ECGs.

A complete list of who should obtain an ECG, called Guidelines for ECG, is published by the Joint Committee of the AHA/ACC (American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology).