EKG technicians are the people who run patients through these tests. To run a test, technicians put electrodes on patients' chests, arms, and legs. Then they monitor the equipment as the test is run. For basic EKG tests, patients just lay down while the test is run. Some EKG tests are run while patients exercise on a treadmill.
Technicians control the speed of the treadmill during the test.
Other duties for EKG technicians include taking medical histories and explaining procedures. They also take blood pressure readings. More skilled EKG technicians fit some patients with portable heart monitors. Patients still wear electrodes only now they also wear a heart monitor for 24 or 48 hours. The technician checks the quality of the data that was recorded.