the electrocardiogram is a powerful tool used to diagnose certain types?

Question

of heart disease. Why is it important ot look at time intervals of the different waveforms?

Answer 1

Those intervals show how long the atria/ventricles are each pumping and how long your heart is "resting" for. It shows the intervals between beats, making it easier to detect abnormalities like irregular heart beats and a heart that is working "too hard" (can be an indication of constricted arteries, other serious heart problems). The intervals will show how long your heart is in the resting vs. pumping state. Doctors know how long your heart should be in those states--irregularity can indicate a wide range of problems. An EKG (also called an ECG) cannot pinpoint the exact diagnosis of heart diseases, but it can alert doctors to potential problems and give a red flag to indicate that further tests are needed. Plus, it's easy and inexpensive to do in any doctor's office, making it accessible to a wide range of patients who might not be able to afford (or be willing to come in for) more complicated initial tests.

Answer 2

that is to see if the heart is beating normal and to see if there are other abnormal activities going on.