What is the primary purpose of an EKG?

The primary purpose of an EKG, or electrocardiogram, is to assess the heart's electrical activity. This test records the timing and duration of each electrical phase in your heartbeat, allowing healthcare professionals to identify various heart conditions. An EKG can reveal important information about heart rhythms, assess for any abnormalities such as arrhythmias, and determine the presence of conditions like ischemia or previous heart attacks.

This function is critical because it enables early detection of potential cardiac issues, helping in the management and treatment of heart disease. Monitoring blood pressure, evaluating lung function, or determining cholesterol levels involve different tests and methods that do not directly measure the electrical impulses of the heart. Hence, they serve other important medical evaluations but are not the intended purpose of an EKG.