C. S. Mott Children's Hospital

University of Michigan Health System

Having an EKG

An electrocardiogram is a test that looks at the heart’s rhythm. It doesn’t hurt at all and takes about five minutes. You lay down on a table and the techs put some stickers on your chest. The stickers are connected to the EKG machine by some thin wires. The techs push a button on the machine and out pops a piece a paper with a bunch of squiggly lines on it. These lines show the timing and strength of your heartbeat. Your doctor can learn a lot about your heart just from this simple test!