EKG

Sudden chest pain, heart palpitations, or shortness of breath can be scary and unsettling. The experienced team at A+ Urgent Care in Las Vegas, Nevada, offer expert electrocardiogram (EKG) tests to patients aged four and older. Whether you’re looking to identify the cause of symptoms like rapid pulse or lightheadedness or suspect you may have had a heart attack or heart damage, EKGs can help your provider understand your issues in under 10 minutes. For a test, use the walk-in service today or schedule an appointment online.

What is an EKG?

An electrocardiogram (EKG) uses temporary electrodes on your chest and limbs to monitor, track, and record your heart’s electrical activity. It's a popular and painless test providers use to quickly identify heart problems and monitor the health of your heart.

An A+ Urgent Care team member performs this test on-site.

When do I need an EKG?

You may need an ECG if you’re experiencing symptoms, such as:

• Chest pain
• Heart palpitations 
• Rapid pulse 
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness 
• Confusion
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness or fatigue 
• Unexplained exercise abilities 

An EKG test can help your provider detect: 

• Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
• Blocked or narrowed arteries in your heart 
• Previous heart attacks 
• Heart damage 
• How well a pacemaker is working
• If you’re fit for an upcoming surgery 

If you have sporadic symptoms, your provider may not be able to identify a heart condition and recommend continual EKGs.

What happens during an EKG? 

When coming in for an EKG, avoid skin creams and lotions the day of your test and wear an easily removable shirt. 

Your provider has you lie flat and relax, and then they attach 12 electrodes with adhesive pads to your chest, arms, and legs. They may need to shave areas of your body hair to ensure the electrodes stay on.

The EKG computer creates a picture on graph paper of your heart’s electrical impulses. You can expect the painless procedure to take 10 minutes. 

Your provider then translates the computer’s wave pattern immediately and can understand your EKG results. 

In some cases, an EKG can detect a heart attack that’s occurring during the test. In other cases, it may take several hours or days for a heart attack or issue to show up on your EKG.

If your provider suspects a serious heart issue, they may recommend a blood test or imaging studies.

Your provider may encourage longer EKG recordings to understand any concerns. You can wear Holter monitors for up to two days and event monitors can record your heart activity for weeks to several years. 

The A+ Urgent Care team can also refer you to a board-certified Cardiologists 

No matter your results, your provider helps create a treatment plan for you or can refer you to an outside specialist. 

For a convenient and quick EKG test, visit A+ Urgent Care or book an appointment online.