Diabetes & Blood Pressure

ECG Report Words Explained: Sinus Rhythm, Borderline, ST-T Changes (Video)

2:14 min

Read the full written guide: ECG Report Words Explained: Sinus Rhythm, Borderline, ST-T Changes →

In this quick video we break down the key words and numbers you see on an ECG report. You’ll learn what the machine’s first guess means, how the top measurements are interpreted, and why the paper speed matters. We also share the one crucial emergency tip you must remember if you feel chest pain or related symptoms. This is for educational purposes only, always talk to a healthcare professional for personal advice.

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Transcript

Did you know a normal ECG doesn’t rule out a heart attack?

Did you know a normal ECG doesn’t rule out a heart attack?

ECG Report Basics

Learn the key ECG terms and the crucial step you shouldn’t miss, and stay until the final tip that could save your life.

What ECG Shows

An ECG captures the heart’s electrical activity using ten stickers that give twelve views. It can’t tell you how hard the heart pumps or how the valves work, that needs an echo. The computer’s first guess is marked unconfirmed.

Top Numbers Explained

The top row lists heart rate, PR interval, QRS duration, and QTc. Normal heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute. PR measures signal travel from atria to ventricles, and QTc is the corrected QT interval.

ECG Paper Speed

The paper moves at twenty-five millimetres per second, letting doctors count squares to calculate heart rate without a computer.

Small Square Time

Each tiny square on the strip represents four hundredths of a second, a handy reference for timing intervals.

Machine Phrases

Normal sinus rhythm means the heartbeat starts at the natural pacemaker and the rate sits between sixty and one hundred. Faster or slower rates are called sinus tachycardia or bradycardia, often triggered by fever, anxiety, dehydration, or fitness level.

Why ECG Can Vary

A misplaced sticker or swapped arm leads can change the axis. Shivering, talking, or moving adds fuzz. A heavy meal, strong coffee, or a cigarette right before the test can alter the trace, as can anxiety.

The one emergency tip

If you feel chest pressure, tightness, breathlessness, or cold sweats, go straight to the emergency department regardless of what the ECG says. A normal reading doesn’t rule out a heart attack in the first hours.

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Read the full guide

The full guide is on thecareonline.com. General information only, so check with your doctor for your own case.

Nothing on The Care Online is medical advice. Traditional practices are described as tradition, not as fact. Take a persistent or serious concern to a qualified professional. See how videos and posts are made on our methodology page.