Why do they do this in ECGs?

Question

I had my first Electrocardiogram (ECG) today as the doctor put me on Venlafaxine medicine and it is apparently routine to have an ECG when you go on it. The nurse said though I had to remove my bra because it had underwire in it and my keys and money in my trouser pockets. Why do you have to do this when you get it done?

Answer 1

Electrocardiograms deliver and read sounds waves that pick up the electrical impulses your SA and AV nodes send to your heart for normal rhythmic beating. If the patient has any material that is a recognized electrical conductor, it could impede or skew the the wave input, negating the test results. Hope this helps, have a great day.

Answer 2

ECG stands for Electro Cardiogram

That is it measures the electrical output of your heart muscle. Magnetism from other metals on you can affect this reading, so it's not a true reading

Answer 3

The metals can cause electrical interference and cause an inaccurate reading.

I'm glad to know that you have been started on this serotonin re-uptake inhibitor.  I hope it works for you, and good for the Dr. to order a  baseline ECG to evaluate and monitor CV status.