Electrical Phenomena Associated with Contraction of the Heart

When any tissue enters an active state - be it contraction of a muscle, secretion of a secretion by a gland, or conduction of an impulse by a nerve - it becomes electronegative with respect to surrounding tissues. The weak action currents that arise can be detected by sensitive instruments. The currents accompanying each contraction of the heart can be detected even on the surface of the body using an electrocardiograph, which records them in the form of a curve.

Since improper functioning of the heart causes characteristic currents of action, in a pathological condition the electrocardiogram will have an unusual appearance, and a specialist can make one or another diagnosis based on its characteristics.

An electrocardiogram allows non-invasive diagnosis of cardiac rhythm and conduction disorders. It is widely used in medicine to detect coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, ventricular hypertrophy and other pathologies. Regular ECG analysis is of great importance for the early recognition of cardiovascular diseases and monitoring the condition of patients.