An electrocardiogram or ECG can be an effective tool in detecting coronary artery disease.

How an ECG Works
An electrical impulse stimulates the muscle fibers in the heart to contract. The impulse spreads through the heart in a very organized manner. The heart's normal electrical impulse has a characteristic pattern. The EKG machine displays the pattern of the electrical impulse.

Abnormal electrical patterns on the EKG can help identify heart disease.

The EKG can identify:

• Heart injury:
• Consistent with low oxygen to the heart
• Damage due to heart attack
• Enlargement of the heart
• Cardiac arrhythmia:
• Abnormal heartbeats or rhythms
• Abnormal electrical activity in the heart