ECG or EKG stands for electrocardiography. Electrocardiography is the process of recording the heart’s electrical activity by placing electrodes on the skin surrounding the heart. It is a non-invasive procedure as the electrodes are simply placed on the skin. The electrodes then detect the electrical changes on the skin that are brought about by the palpitations of the heart. Mobile ECGs use Bluetooth and cloud technology to transfer this data to a phone or computer. They are used to keep track of cardiac rhythms of patients with coronary diseases like heart attacks.
The devices are mobile allowing the patient to monitor the cardiac rhythms even at home. After measuring the electrical potential of the heart, the ECG sends this data to an application on your phone or computer. The device can also be set to transmit the data directly to your doctor’s email address so he/she can make a proper diagnosis.
The device has supplementary features to aid in gathering data. The ECGs are equipped with voice alarms to alert the patient of an ongoing cardiac abnormality. The devices go a step further by recording these abnormalities as they occur. The devices can then send the data to your doctor for a proper diagnosis. The devices also feature a replay function, allowing the user to view past ECG data.
Some mobile ECGs evaluate the collected data and advice the patient on what steps to take next. As it advices the patient on what to do, the device also sends the data to the doctor to allow him/her more time to make an analysis before the patient gets to the hospital. The data can be sent through emails, chatting services like WhatsApp or through a secured database.
Another plus is that the mobile ECGs do not take long to conduct the scan. The scan can be done in a matter of seconds. Other ECGs allow the patient to take down notes of how he/she felt prior to conducting the scan. This gives a cardiologist a clearer picture of what is happening to the patient. The devices have also proved to be accurate in their diagnosis.
Some mobile ECGs are worn under clothing while others are simply carried. Both are lightweight to enable everyday use. The ones worn under clothing can measure data continuously as they do not interfere with day-to-day activities. Carried ECGs, on the other hand, cannot measure data continuously.