According to the American Heart Association, every day 43 Kentuckians die from cardiovascular disease and stroke. An electrocardiogram is a recording of the heart's electrical activity on a strip of moving paper. It is one of the first tests used to diagnose heart disease, although a normal EKG doesn't guarantee that the heart and coronary arteries are normal.
Many patients receive EKGs prior to having surgery to make sure the heart is functioning normally.
24 Hour Holter Monitoring. Holter monitoring is a continuous recording of your heart's electrical activity for 24 hours while you go about your normal activities. It is very useful in diagnosing abnormal heart rhythms and in determining whether recurring symptoms such as dizziness, fainting and palpitations are caused by abnormal rhythms. Treadmill Stress Testing. Treadmill stress testing helps your doctor evaluate your heart at rest, while your heart rate is increasing as you exercise on a treadmill, and after your heart rate reaches its peak.