Liver Donation Tests -- Electrocardiogram
An electrocardiogram, or EKG, is a quick and painless test that helps your healthcare provider know if your heart is working right. The EKG machine records and prints the electrical activity of your heart through several small electrode patches. These patches are attached to the skin of your chest, arms and legs.
Patients having an EKG lie flat as the computer creates a picture, on graph paper, of the electrical impulses traveling through the heart. This is called a "resting" EKG. This same test may also be used to monitor the heart during exercise.
It takes about 10 minutes to attach the electrodes and complete the test, but the actual recording takes only a few seconds.
