Electrocardiograms (ECG) – LifeLabs (2024)

Your doctor may suggest you have an ECG for a variety of reasons including to:

• do a routine annual check of your heart
• monitor your heart rhythm
• show electrical changes in your heart and if oxygen has been reduced
• diagnose a heart attack or other conditions
• monitor abnormal heart structure such as a thickened heart muscle

An ECG is completed in one of our Patient Service Centres and involves placing sensors to your chest arms and lower legs to monitor your heart for a brief period. When you arrive, the lab assistant will ask you a few health-related questions (height, weight, medications, symptoms, reason for the testing, if you have had this test performed before and whether you have a pacemaker) and ask you to:

• Remove all your clothing from the waist up as we require a bare chest to position the chest sensors. A sheet will be provided so you can cover yourself.
• Expose your lower legs below the knees. You will be asked to remove pantyhose or tights; however you may keep your shoes and socks on.
• Lay flat on your back on the ECG bed.

Once you are laying on the bed and relaxed, the lab assistant will:

• Rub alcohol on a small area of your upper arms and lower legs and chest (around the heart area).
• Place six skin sensors on your chest and one on each arm and leg.
• Feel for rib spaces to ensure accurate chest sensor placement. Some placements may require lifting of the breast; this is done by using the back of the hand.
• Ensure you are covered once the sensors are placed and cables attached to preserve your modesty.
• Potentially place pillows under your legs or reapply one or more sensors to ensure an accurate reading.

Very little preparation is needed to prepare for an ECG. On the day of the test we ask that you:

• Wear loose fitting clothing so pant legs can be easily move up
• Avoid wearing pantyhose, tights or leggings
• Do not use talc*ms, lotions, moisturizers or perfumes

ECGs are one of two types of cardiac monitoring that we offer either at one of our Patient Service Centres, or via our mobile lab services for non-acute hospitals, long-term care facilities and retirement residences (select cities).

LifeLabs provides ECGs to patients who are stable and not clinically suspected of suffering acute myocardial infarction or a life threatening cardiac event.

An ECG may be scheduled directly by the patient at any of our Patient Service Centres offering this service. They must have a requisition form completed by a physician or healthcare provider. Appointments are recommended to reduce waiting times and ensure availability.

We also offer mobile lab services for non-acute hospitals, long-term care facilities and retirement residences. These must be booked in advance by the organization requiring the service.