Electrocardiogram (EKG)

An electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) records the heart's electrical activity in about 5 minutes, with no pain and no radiation. At Clínica Hispana Nueva Salud La Porte we do it with no appointment and the physician interprets it on the spot, so you leave the clinic knowing how your heart rhythm is, in Spanish or English.

What it is for

• Detecting arrhythmias: irregular, very fast or very slow heartbeats
• Identifying signs of a previous heart attack or poor blood flow to the heart
• Seeing whether high blood pressure is already thickening the heart muscle
• Checking for changes caused by potassium or calcium out of range
• Evaluating the heart before surgery or before starting certain medications
• Completing work, sports or immigration medical exams when required

When it makes sense

Come for an EKG if you feel palpitations, skipped beats, dizziness or fainting, shortness of breath with exertion, or chest pain or pressure that comes and goes. Also if you have high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol, if you smoke, if there were heart attacks in your family before age 55, or if you are over 40 and have never had one. For workers at the area's plants and refineries, an EKG is often part of the periodic medical exam.

Important: if right now you have severe chest pain, cold sweat, pain spreading to your arm or jaw, or serious trouble breathing, do not come to the clinic: call 911. Those symptoms are handled in a hospital.

What the test is like

You lie down on the exam table and we place 10 adhesive electrodes on your chest, arms and legs. The machine records the signal for a few seconds while you breathe normally and stay still. No electricity goes into your body; it only reads it. Wear two-piece clothing that is easy to lift or remove, avoid creams or oils on your chest that day and, if you have a lot of chest hair, small areas may need to be shaved so the electrodes stick well. Do not drink coffee or smoke for an hour before the test.

Results and next steps

The physician reads the tracing during the same visit and explains what it means. If the EKG is normal but symptoms continue, or if it shows an abnormality, we complete the workup with blood work, such as electrolytes, thyroid or a lipid panel, and refer you to a cardiologist with the printed tracing so you do not have to repeat it. A normal EKG does not rule out everything; that is why we always assess it together with your symptoms and history.

EKG without insurance in La Porte

Find our medical center at 9606 Spencer Hwy Ste D, La Porte, TX 77571, on Spencer Hwy, open Monday to Saturday from 9 AM to 9 PM and Sunday from 9 AM to 7 PM. No doctor's order or insurance needed: the EKG with interpretation has a flat price we confirm by phone. We serve patients from La Porte, Deer Park, Pasadena, Shoreacres, Morgan's Point and the greater Houston area.