Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Electrocardiogram
An electrocardiogram, or ECG (also abbreviated EKG), is a medical test that records the electrical activity of the heart over time. It is a noninvasive and painless procedure that uses electrodes placed on the skin to detect the electrical signals generated with each heartbeat. These signals are displayed as waveforms on a monitor or printed graph, providing valuable information about the heart’s rhythm, rate, and electrical conduction.
ECGs are commonly used to diagnose a wide range of heart conditions, including arrhythmias, heart attacks, and abnormalities in heart structure. They can also help monitor the effects of medications or assess heart health before surgery. A standard ECG takes only a few minutes and is often performed in hospitals, clinics, or during routine physical exams.
Though simple and quick, the electrocardiogram is a powerful tool for detecting signs of cardiac problems, often before symptoms become apparent. It remains one of the most widely used tests in cardiovascular medicine.
Related Stories
1
2
Health & Medicine News
June 4, 2026
June 4, 2026 A large study of older adults in Brazil found that adding extra salt at the table is still a common habit, especially among men. While too much salt is linked to serious health problems and faster cognitive decline, researchers discovered that ...
June 4, 2026 For decades, pancreatic cancer has been one of the most lethal cancers, with few effective treatment options. A new drug, daraxonrasib, targets the KRAS mutation that fuels most pancreatic ...
June 4, 2026 A newly discovered genetic clock acts as the master timekeeper for development, orchestrating crucial bursts of gene activity throughout a worm’s growth. When the clock is disrupted, development ...
June 4, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a surprising new way the immune system fights cancer, overturning a core belief that has guided immunology for decades. The research found that when cancer cells shut down a key immune-recognition molecule called MHC I—a ...
June 3, 2026 A massive study of more than 600,000 U.S. veterans suggests that popular GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide may do far more than help with diabetes and weight loss—they could also fight addiction ...
June 3, 2026 Scientists have developed an experimental diabetes and obesity pill that works in a completely different way from drugs like Ozempic. Rather than reducing hunger, it activates metabolism in skeletal muscle, helping lower blood sugar and increase fat ...
June 3, 2026 A newly identified group of amygdala neurons appears to play a central role in anxiety and social behavior. Restoring normal activity in this tiny brain circuit reversed anxiety and social deficits in mice, revealing a promising new target for ...
June 3, 2026 French fries may be the real potato problem. A large study tracking more than 205,000 people for nearly 40 years found that eating three servings of fries per week was linked to a 20% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while baked, boiled, ...
June 3, 2026 Scientists have uncovered evidence that autism may include at least two biologically distinct subtypes, each marked by a different pattern of brain communication. By combining brain scans from nearly 1,000 people with autism with insights from 20 ...
June 2, 2026 A newly identified protein may be one of the biggest obstacles holding CAR T-cell therapy back. Researchers found that NFIL3 causes these engineered immune cells to become exhausted and lose their cancer-fighting power over time. When NFIL3 was ...
June 2, 2026 A major study suggests that some of the groundwork for brain development may be shaped before birth through a surprising partnership between a baby’s genes and gut microbes. Researchers found that ...
June 2, 2026 A surprising new study suggests that when it comes to pancreatic cancer, the kind of fat you eat may matter more than how much. Researchers found that oleic acid—the main fat in olive oil and several other common foods—sped up tumor growth in ...
Latest Headlines
updated 12:56 pm ET
June 1, 2026 A Salk Institute study found that a simple dietary amino acid, methionine, dramatically improved survival in mice facing severe infections and inflammatory conditions. Rather than directly targeting ...
June 1, 2026 A promising new study suggests rheumatoid arthritis may not be as inevitable as once thought for people at high risk. Researchers found that just one year of treatment with the immune-targeting drug ...
June 1, 2026 A long-overlooked organ may hold surprising clues to healthy aging and cancer survival. Researchers at Mass General Brigham used AI to analyze CT scans from tens of thousands of adults and found that ...
May 31, 2026 Scientists at Scripps Research have uncovered a molecular “switch” that appears to fuel the damaging brain inflammation seen in Alzheimer’s disease. They found that a protein called STING ...
May 31, 2026 Melanoma may not become steadily more dangerous with age as scientists once assumed. In a surprising discovery, researchers found that cancer spread was lowest in young mice, surged in middle-aged ...
May 31, 2026 Losing weight may involve rewiring the gut and the brain at the same time. In a study of obese adults, an intermittent fasting-style diet led to significant weight loss, healthier metabolic markers, ...
May 31, 2026 A new study suggests fish oil may help reduce insulin resistance even in people who aren't obese. In diabetic rats, omega-3 supplementation improved blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and inflammation ...
May 30, 2026 A new study suggests melatonin supplements may help night shift workers boost their body's DNA repair processes, potentially offsetting some of the ...
May 30, 2026 A specially formulated tomato-soy juice packed with natural plant compounds may help calm inflammation linked to obesity, according to a new clinical study. Healthy adults with obesity who drank the ...
May 29, 2026 Scientists at Stanford may have uncovered a hidden reason our brains decline with age. Studying the ultra-short-lived turquoise killifish, researchers discovered that the cellular machinery ...