How reliable is an ECG?

[Charles Price]

Had several episodes when I have called out the ambulance convinced I was having a heart attack every time had a ECG and was given the all clear.
how reliable is an ECG? would it tell me If I had some sort of heart defect?

[Ricky3]

Hi. I used to go through this myself....awful, I know. So here's the scoop from the ER nurse: A negative ECG absolutely means that not only are you currently having a heart attack but that you have not had one in the past. An old heart attack is visible on an ECG just as a current one is. Heart defects do not go unnoticed. They are dectectable by listening to your chest with a stethoscope, the ECG and very clear syptoms that you would likely have had since birth. So, no, I'd say you don't have anything even close to a defect. I truly understand your fear when your anxiety goes into hyperdrive and you have the chest symptoms so classic with anxiety/panic. Which only makes the feelings worse and by that time you're in such terror.........my own heart breaks for you thinking of you going through that and feeling so fearful that it will all come around again.
I hope you are able to get some help with this. You are not alone.

[1Bluerose68]

You probly are on the wrong forum for that technical type question...

Web Heath.com, or any other health type website may have special docs or techs who could answer that for you. Yahoo.com has a ?s and Answer web page too.

You probly should ask you gen physician about this as well. Did the ER do any follup treatment planning? Usually some ER's will contact your doc and inform them as to your visit, unless you went out of the med group. That would happen with an Emergency too...

Those tests are expensive in the ER too aren't they.

They sent me a follow up bill from ER and all they did was Monitor my heart for rhythm and , then later few months after the fact they sent me a payment receipt from my med plan that said med plan had paid $ 10,000 for my heart to be monitored for 10 minutes in the ER.

Outrageous.

You think they shocked me back to another rhythm or someting???

Well, they certainly didn't inform ME, if they did??

[jessed03]

Hi. I used to go through this myself....awful, I know. So here's the scoop from the ER nurse: A negative ECG absolutely means that not only are you currently having a heart attack but that you have not had one in the past. An old heart attack is visible on an ECG just as a current one is. Heart defects do not go unnoticed. They are dectectable by listening to your chest with a stethoscope, the ECG and very clear syptoms that you would likely have had since birth. So, no, I'd say you don't have anything even close to a defect. I truly understand your fear when your anxiety goes into hyperdrive and you have the chest symptoms so classic with anxiety/panic. Which only makes the feelings worse and by that time you're in such terror.........my own heart breaks for you thinking of you going through that and feeling so fearful that it will all come around again.
I hope you are able to get some help with this. You are not alone.

Ricky!!

@OP: How reliable is an ECG? A lot more reliable than your over-hyped amygdala which, when going through a period of anxiety, will perceive simple, innocuous reactions as life-changing threats. :)

[Ricky3]

Jessed!!!!! I rarely discuss my amyglada, over-hyped or otherwise, in public. Now go to your room and don't come out till you're ready to apologize.
LOL