With heart disease being such a killer in the UK and around the world, keeping your heart healthy is really important. There are lots of ways that you can make sure you keep your heart well looked after. These include:
Regular exercise
A diet low in fat and cholesterol
Reducing the amount of alcohol you drink
For many people though your heart may be a cause of concern throughout your life, and doctors may want to look into what is causing the problem or to see what is going on in there. In this case your first port of call will probably be an ECG test.
An ECG test (short for electrocardiogram) is used to get a look at how the heart is working. It can give doctors a good idea of what is going on in the heart and indicate abnormalities or potential problems that may occur. It is a useful test, also used by companies like Richmond Pharmacology when doing Adaptive Phase 1 Studies.
If you need to go for an ECG test, here is what you can expect…
You will have wires attached to you with tape – these are attached at various points on the body that give doctors a clear picture of heart activity
You will then need to be completely still – the test only lasts a few minutes, but it is important that you stay still in this time as it can affect the results.
The data from your recording will be examined by the doctor and if more tests are needed you will be advised of this.