Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 27, 2026
Patient Directed Recording of a Bipolar Three-Lead Electrocardiogram using a Smartwatch with ECG Function
Published on: December 11, 2019
Prevalence of normal electrocardiograms in primary care patients
Milena Soriano Marcolino1, Daniel Moore Freitas Palhares1, Maria Beatriz Moreira Alkmim1
1Telehealth Network of Minas Gerais, Hospital das Clínicas, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Objective:
Knowing the proportion the proportion of normal and abnormal electrocardiograms (ECGs) in primary care patients allows us to estimate the proportion of exams that can be analyzed by the general practitioner with minimal training in ECG interpretation, in addition to being epidemiologically relevant. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of normal ECGs in primary care patients.
Methods:
All digital ECGs analyzed by the cardiologists of Telehealth Network of Minas Gerais (TNMG) in 2011 were evaluated. TNMG is a public telehealth service that provides support to primary care professionals in 662 municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Results:
During the study period, 290,795 ECGs were analyzed (mean age 51 ± 19 years), 57.6% were normal. This proportion was higher in women (60.1 vs 57.6%, p <0.001) and lower in patients with hypertension (45.8% vs 63.2%, p <0.001) or diabetes (43.3% vs 63.2%, p <0.001). A progressive reduction in the prevalence of normal ECG with increasing age was observed. Among the ECGs of patients under investigation for chest pain, 58.7% showed no abnormalities.
Conclusion:
The prevalence of normal ECGs in primary care patients is higher than 50% and this proportion decreases with age and comorbidities. Most ECGs performed for investigation of chest pain in primary care shows no abnormality.
More Related Videos
18:11A Research Method For Detecting Transient Myocardial Ischemia In Patients With Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome Using Continuous ST-segment Analysis
Published on: December 28, 2012
06:07Analyzing Long-Term Electrocardiography Recordings to Detect Arrhythmias in Mice
Published on: May 23, 2021
Related Concept Videos
01:29Electrocardiogram
Three major waveforms are present in a typical ECG recording: the P wave, the QRS complex, and...
01:30Pulse rhythm
Conversely, an irregular pulse pattern is termed dysrhythmia, stemming from disruptions in cardiac...
01:19Electrophysiology of Normal Cardiac Rhythm
01:28Electrocardiogram Fundamentals
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a diagnostic tool for identifying cardiac conditions such as arrhythmias, conduction abnormalities, and myocardial ischemia.
Definition
An electrocardiogram (ECG) visualizes the heart's electrical activity by tracing the electrical movement associated with each heartbeat on a graph or monitor. As the heart beats, an electrical wave passes through it, correlating with the cardiac cycle events.
Parts of an ECG
An ECG utilizes electrodes on the skin...
01:24ECG Interpretation of Rhythms
Components of the Electrocardiogram
The primary components of a normal ECG waveform in Normal sinus rhythm(NSR) include the P wave, PR interval, QRS complex, ST segment, T wave, and occasionally a U wave.
ECG waveforms are divided by vertical and horizontal lines at standard intervals.
The horizontal axis measures time and rate, and the vertical axis measures amplitude or voltage....
01:30Dysrhythmias V: Evaluating Dysrhythmias