EKG machine
Electrocardiographic monitoring equipment have been in use in the United States for some time for screening and diagnosis of cardiopathy. The heart is composed of a specialized system of cells that generate and conduct electrical impulses; it is these cells which are responsible for propagating muscle contraction, thus facilitating the pumping function of the heart. A variety of cardiac disease processes can contribute to the heart beating too slowly to provide appropriate cardiac output. When this occurs, often a pacemaker is required to reestablish proper heart rate. Cardiac pacing, or electrostimulation, involves sending signals from an electrical generator to the heart in order to initiate or sustain a heart rate that is physiologically appropriate. It has been common practice for many years to measure the physiological functions of the human body to determine the health of a patient. This is generally accomplished by attaching electrodes to specific areas so that the functions of particular organs of the body can be determined. For example, it has been common practice to measure electrocardiogram (EKG) signals from a body. There are a variety of methods to apply such technology, including transthoracic, thransvenous and permanent pacemakers. Transcutaneous pacemakers involve placing electrodes on the skin of the patient, usually one on the chest, and one on the back, in order to deliver high energy impulses. This method is usually reserved for emergency pacing. An electrocardiograph, commonly known as an EKG, is an instrument used to record the various electrical impulses that are generated by the heart to produce contractions or heartbeats. The impulses are measured by electrodes and are recorded on paper or displayed on a monitor for examination. The display of the electrical impulses provides a variety of information to a treating physician regarding the patient's heart. Electrocardiography provides a graphic registration of movements of the heart using electrical signal sensing. Typically, an electrocardiograph (or EKG) tracing is produced by attaching ten individual electrodes to the surface of the patient's body, one electrode to each limb and six at specific points on the patient's chest, with each of the chest electrodes corresponding approximately to a particular area of the patient's heart. An electrical lead extends from each of the electrodes to an electrocardiograph instrument, which receives the input signals and produces either a signal on a monitor screen or a hard copy of the data, often with some degree of interpretation. In general, electrical leads used to transmit signals from the patient's cardiovascular system are fixed to the skin of the patient individually, at suitable locations, using suction cups and conductive adhesives to provide the necessary electrical connection for reading the heart movements through a patient's skin. The tracing, or hardcopy, provides a valuable baseline recording and can indicate abnormalities that may require further treatment.
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