A cardiogram is printed by a special device on film or paper. The graph shows the activity of the heart. All heart diseases are diagnosed using a cardiogram. With its help, you can observe the work of the circulatory system, the regularity and frequency of the heart rhythm, detect a slowdown and blockade of blood conduction, find out if any of the heart tissues is exposed to oxygen starvation, and also determine previously suffered aneurysms and heart attacks.
In addition, the decoding of the cardiogram allows you to determine the speed of heart contractions (pulse). The norm of a healthy heart of an adult at rest is 60-80 beats per minute. Thanks to this, it becomes possible to identify phenomena such as flicker and flutter. With flickering, the pulse can reach 600 beats per minute, and with a flutter, 400.
The principle of the ECG is that a cardiograph records lines of electrical voltage that pass from the heart throughout the body. The parameters of these waves characterize the state of the heart. Like any fluctuations, cardio waves have an amplitude and magnitude, and decoding a cardiogram reduces to the fact that these indicators calculate the frequency and strength of relaxation and muscle tension of the heart. Based on these data, the patient’s diagnosis is made. The cardiogram of the heart has peaks when a particular muscle is tense, and a minimum amplitude when it is relaxed.
It is customary to put symbols on the ECG in the form of Latin letters, thanks to which the decoding of the cardiogram becomes more accessible and simple. Consider the values assigned to these letters.
P - determines the state of the atria.
PQ - the gap showing the moment when both atria are strained.
QRS - these abbreviations denote a fragment of an electrocardiogram, which shows the work of the ventricles of the heart.
Q - determines the level of activity of the upper lobes of the heart.
R - shows the activity of the outer part of the ventricles and the lower part of the heart.
ST is one of the main indicators on the electrocardiogram. It reveals the activity of both ventricles of the heart. Specialists pay special attention to the indicator T, which shows that the cells of the muscle tissue of the heart are in a normal state. It is on this characteristic of the ECG that diagnosis occurs.
The gap between P and Q is the time interval for the transfer of activity (i.e., energy, strength) from the atrium to the ventricle. In a healthy heart, it should be 0.12-0.1 seconds. And the QRS peaks should pass in a time interval of 0.06-0.1 seconds. Cardiodiagnostics is also being built for this indicator.
Above were considered only the most basic characteristics that a cardiogram of the heart has. Deciphering it by specialists implies the use of more specific and in-depth parameters (separately for each muscle, valve and heart vessel). This allows you to make a more accurate diagnosis of the disease.
It should be remembered that the final decoding of the cardiogram should be done exclusively by a specialist. Having any knowledge in the field of medicine, but not being a doctor, you can see on the ECG only a superficial picture of the heart. Only a cardiologist can make a final diagnosis and prescribe treatment!