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Overview of EKG
An electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) records the electrical activity of your heart. An EKG provides information about your heart's rate and rhythm. It also diagnoses ischemia (lack of oxygen to the heart muscle), heart attacks, and a variety of other heart conditions.
To perform an EKG, your healthcare provider places sensing electrodes on the skin of your chest, arms, and legs. The electrodes are small adhesive patches with wires that connect to a monitor. The monitor captures and displays your heart's electrical activity and can record it on graph paper. These recordings are often called tracings.
During an EKG, sensing electrodes are placed on your skin. The number of electrodes you'll wear during your EKG depends on the kind of information your providers want to capture. The most common test is a 12-lead EKG test. This test uses 10 electrodes to generate 12 different views of the heart's electrical activity.
EKG in Depth
Learn more EKGs about from Intermountain's Patient Education Library:
Patient Instructions
Learn what happens (and what you need to do) before, during and after this procedure:
Where Do I Go?
EKGs are performed in several places at the Heart Institute:
- Hospital-based clinic and lab (building #4): EKGs are performed in an exam room in our hospital-based clinic and lab. Come to Intermountain Medical Center – building 4 (Heart & Lung Center). Follow the signs to Patient Registration on the first floor. After registering go down one floor to the patient waiting area and check in for your EKG. EKGs can be done by appointment or walk-in as this test does not require any special preparation. EKGs can be done during clinic hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Cardiology & Heart Rhythm Offices (building #2): Your EKG may be part of your cardiology or heart rhythm appointment. Both offices are located in building #2, suites 510 and 520. You can also link to each office below to learn more:
If you have questions please call us: 801-507-4701.