ECGa quick tracing of your heartbeat.
Small stickers on your chest, arms and legs pick up the electrical signal behind each heartbeat. It is painless, needs no preparation and is done at most visits.
Available in clinic
At a glance
- How long
- About 10 minutes
- Preparation
- None needed
- Results
- Same visit
- Where
- In clinic
Why it might be recommended
Every test is chosen to answer a specific question. These are the most common reasons for this one.
- Palpitations, or a racing or irregular heartbeat
- Chest pain, dizziness or fainting
- Breathlessness without a clear cause
- A baseline before starting, or while taking, some medicines
What happens
Getting ready
You lie on a couch and uncover your chest, wrists and ankles.
Electrodes
Ten small sticky pads are placed on your chest and limbs and connected to the recorder by thin wires.
Recording
You lie still and breathe normally. The recording itself takes less than a minute.
Reading
The pads come off, and the tracing is read and discussed with you during the same visit.
How to prepare
- No fasting and no change to your medicines
- Avoid body lotion or oil on your chest that day, so the pads stick well
- Tell the team if you have a pacemaker or have had palpitations recently
Conditions it helps assess
- Atrial fibrillationAn irregular, often fast heartbeat that starts in the upper chambers and raises the risk of stroke.
- Coronary artery diseaseThe arteries that supply the heart muscle become narrowed by fatty plaque.
- AnginaChest discomfort, usually on exertion, when the heart muscle briefly gets too little blood.
- ArrhythmiaA heartbeat that is too fast, too slow or irregular, caused by a problem in the heart's electrical system.
Common questions
Is any electricity passed through me?
No. An ECG only records the signal your heart already makes. Nothing is sent into the body.
Can a normal ECG miss a problem?
Yes. A resting ECG captures a few seconds. Symptoms that come and go may need Holter monitoring; symptoms on exertion may need a stress test.
Will my chest need to be shaved?
Sometimes a small patch of hair is clipped so the pads stick. It is quick and painless.
Other tests
All tests
EchocardiographyAvailable in clinic
Holter monitoringAvailable in clinic
Stress testingAvailable in clinic
Cardiac risk assessmentAvailable in clinic
CT imagingHospital referral
Cardiac MRIHospital referral
Coronary angiographyHospital referral
Body composition analysisHospital referral
24-hour blood-pressure monitoringHospital referral
Not sure this is the test you need?
You do not have to decide alone. Book a consultation or send a question on WhatsApp. Tests are chosen once your symptoms and history have been reviewed.
This page explains what the test involves. It is not medical advice for your situation. If you have sudden or severe chest pain, fainting or breathlessness, seek emergency care immediately.