What is an EKG looking for?

As a medical professional with expertise in cardiology, I can tell you that an EKG is looking for several key aspects of the heart's electrical activity, which can indicate various heart conditions. Here's what an EKG typically looks for: 1. Heart Rate: The number of times the heart beats per minute. 2. Heart Rhythm: The regularity and pattern of the heartbeats. 3. P Wave: Indicates the electrical activity associated with atrial contraction. 4. PR Interval: Reflects the time from the start of atrial contraction to the start of ventricular contraction. 5. QRS Complex: Represents the electrical activity of the ventricles as they contract. 6. QT Interval: Shows the time between the start of the QRS complex and the end of the T wave, which is related to the time between the start of ventricular contraction and the end of ventricular repolarization. 7. T Wave: Represents the electrical activity of the ventricles as they recover (repolarize) after contraction. 8. ST Segment: Reflects the time when the ventricles are in depolarization, and any changes or elevations/depressions in this segment can indicate ischemia or other conditions. An EKG can help diagnose conditions such as myocardial infarction (heart attack), arrhythmias, heart failure, hypertrophy, and more. It's a crucial tool in cardiology for assessing the heart's health.

The electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is a noninvasive test that is used to reflect underlying heart conditions by measuring the electrical activity of the heart.