Can an EKG show a heart attack that happened days, weeks, months or even years before?
2007-08-18 13:00:20 · 6 answers · asked by Ribbons 3 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
Definitely. An electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) is a recording of the heart's electrical activity as a graph or series of wave lines on a moving strip of paper. This gives the physician important information about the heart. For example, it can show the heart's rate and rhythm. It can also detect decreased blood flow , enlargement of the heart or the presence of either current or past heart attacks.
Depending on what the results show, in combination with the patient's medical history and a physical exam, the physician may order further tests or a combination of medications and lifestyle changes.
I have peformed thousands of EKG's when I use to work in the ER and they always showed past heart attacks, some were days before, weeks before, months before, or even years before.
Click these links if you would like more info regarding EKG's showing past and present heart attacks:
http://www.medinamemorial.org/WebModules/ServiceCategories/ServiceCategoriesDetail.aspx?id=14&cid=1#ekg
http://www.hospitalinfonet.com/Modules/Content/User/ShowNews.aspx?tNewsID=108
2007-08-18 13:38:14 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, not always. It depends on how bad the heart muscle was damaged. Heart attacks that cause damage but not death, or minimal death may go undetected.
However, if it was a moderate to serious heart attack (a lot of tissue damaged or killed) yes, EKG's will show stuble or obvious changes forever. Once the damage is done, it can't be reversed, it's there forever like a scar.
2007-08-18 14:56:04 · answer #2 · answered by traumaqueen22 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is possible, but a resting ekg is not the way to go. It is much better to look at the heart under load when it needs more oxygen. This is why a stress ekg is much better and this is what will be used to determine heart damage or even the potential need for surgical intervention.
2007-08-18 13:09:32 · answer #3 · answered by mr.answerman 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes it can the damage to the heart muscle will affect the electrical conduction of the heart and it will for ever show the past damage.
2007-08-18 13:05:46 · answer #4 · answered by silkbutterfly1973 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Sometimes, depends on the type of heart attack. STEMI's will show ST elevation, and NSTEMI's will not show any. Also patients with PPM's will not have normal ECG's.
2007-08-19 03:37:20 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, it will. I had one 20 years ago and it still shows up.
2007-08-18 13:13:32 · answer #6 · answered by Irish 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋