Quick question about ekg's

[scrumking]

How long are these tests "good for"

Having had an ekg and a 24 hour ekg last September I am just wondering how long I should wait to have another one 3 months, 6 months, a year? Like how quickly can heart disease develop to something sinister? Just so sick of the constant unexplained chest pain

[Catherine S]

Do you mean an electro-cardiogram test, an ecg? There is no particular time limit on having these tests, but if the tests you had last September were clear then your doctor probably wouldn't suggest another just yet. It depends on your age and how long you've had or will continue to have chest pain. If this was the reason for the ecg then heart disease has already been ruled out. Chest pain can be really bad just through tension in the chest wall muscles, and really is a common sympton of anxiety.

[Fishmanpa]

Scrum,

In a normal healthy adult (which you are sans anxiety), an ECG/EKG would be done once a year along with your general physical.

Positive thoughts

[Althea]

Not even that often, in the US--a cardiogram isn't recommended for asymptomatic adults. I don't know if scrumking's history would keep him in the "asymptomatic" category or not and whether Canada has the same recommendation, but they're not part of regular checkups for anybody I know without heart problems.

[Fishmanpa]

Not even that often, in the US--a cardiogram isn't recommended for asymptomatic adults. I don't know if scrumking's history would keep him in the "asymptomatic" category or not and whether Canada has the same recommendation, but they're not part of regular checkups for anybody I know without heart problems.

True... I have a history of heart issues so I get a yearly.... Been getting them since '06

Positive thoughts

[Althea]

Yes, they'd definitely be "on the regular" for you!