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ECG at home: when you need it and what it shows

An electrocardiogram is the only way to tell a heart attack from neuralgia, or an arrhythmia from anxiety, in five minutes. It does not show everything — plaques and valve defects need ultrasound and angiography — but for the decision "hospital or not", an ECG plus a troponin test is almost always enough.

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What to do right now

Chest pain — ECG immediately
Pressing or burning, radiating to the arm, jaw or back, lasting more than 10–15 minutes: do not wait for it to pass.
Palpitations and skipped beats
An ECG catches an arrhythmia only during the episode. If it has passed, a 24-hour monitor is needed — but a crew arriving quickly may still record it.
High blood pressure and breathlessness
During a crisis an ECG excludes a heart attack and ischaemia; with breathlessness it shows strain on the heart.
No preparation needed
Lie down, uncover the chest and lower legs. The result comes five minutes after the electrodes are attached.
Interpretation on the spot
The doctor reads the trace immediately; a paramedic reads it or consults the station doctor. The conclusion is verbal and the printout stays with you.

Call an ambulance if

Chest pain or pressure lasting more than 15 minutes
Sudden palpitations, skipped beats or pauses with dizziness or fainting
Breathlessness at rest, especially with swollen legs
A hypertensive crisis with chest pain or headache
Any new pain after a heart attack or stenting
Weakness, sweating and nausea in an elderly or diabetic patient without pain — a silent heart attack

What not to do

Do not wait for a routine ECG appointment when you have chest pain
Do not interpret the trace from the internet
Do not refuse the troponin test: an ECG misses some heart attacks, the test almost none
Do not drive yourself to a clinic with chest pain

What the crew does

12-lead ECG in five minutes with verbal interpretation
Troponin test when a heart attack is suspected — 15 minutes
Treatment on the spot: nitrates, antiplatelets, pain relief, antiarrhythmics
Admission to a cardiac centre by dispatch order for a heart attack or dangerous arrhythmia

This page is for information and does not replace a medical examination. If the condition worsens, call the crew: +7 (985) 887-82-52.

This page in Russian: Russian version.

Questions

How much does an ECG at home cost in Moscow?

Call-out 6,000 ₽ inside the MKAD, ECG recording 8,000 ₽, interpretation 2,000 ₽ — 16,000 ₽ in total. The troponin test is charged separately.

Will I get a written report?

No — an ambulance service gives a verbal interpretation and the printout stays with you. A written report for a certificate or surgery is issued by a cardiologist, who can use our trace.

A normal ECG means a healthy heart?

No. It makes an acute heart attack unlikely but does not exclude angina between attacks, valve disease or plaques. Those need a cardiologist, ultrasound and stress testing.