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If you have ever had an electrocardiogram test performed, you know how quick and easy of a test it is. It wasn’t always this way however. The EKG machine has evolved for over 100 years from a revolutionary (yet primitive) machine to the technological miracle that it is today. Read on for a brief history of the EKG machine.
EKG machines have come along time since the 1800’s. Back in the day they used to be huge immobile machines used to measure heart signals. Now, they are small and lightweight, and can be transferred easily.
EKG machines use electrodes that are attached to your body to measure your heart signals and detect signs of trouble. When EKG machines were first invented, electrodes were not used. Instead, patients were required to place their hands and feet into sodium chloride baths, a conductive method for the faint electric impulses found in the heart. Later, electrical wires were used to transmit heart signals to the machine; eventually the electrodes we use now replaced these wires.
Today most patients lie on an examination table for their EKG exams and the medical equipment is user friendly. If you look at photographs from the late 1800s, the patients look as though they are strapped into an electric chair. Modern methods have made the procedure much more simple, safe, comfortable and accurate.
Some doctors prefer that patients perform a stress test on a used EKG machine. This occurs when the electrodes are attached while the patient is performing moderate exercise. Some patients may be asked to ride a stationary bike or walk on a treadmill. Exercising while attached to the EKG machine may often give the technician or your doctor a better understanding of your heart-function pattern during physical strain.
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