I had an EKG done today and......?!

I had an EKG done today and......?

I was just wondering how do they really tell if anything is wrong with you, since they only monitor you for like a minute & a half?
What if I had a problem where it only happens every few minutes, or hours, how can they tell then?

An EKG is a diagnostic test that looks for several things such as a heart attack, abnormal beats, heart block, and more. Also, it can tell if you have certain imbalances such as potassium. If you are have abnormal beats that are not constant, it may not pick them up if they are not occurring during the test.
Most cardiac problems that are severe do not come and go; they are constant and the EKG will likely pick it up. Often times it takes more than one EKG to show or determine a problem, such as abnormal beats.
I hope this answers your question.
As for Nancy B, the RN.......A "Q" wave is a part of the QRS complex. It does NOT mean that someone has had a heart attack. Every body has a Q wave! An elevated ST segment is a good indicator of a heart attack, and a depressed ST could be a past heart attack depending on what lead it's in. Her answer explains exactly why nurses have to work in the hospital. It's so they can be around doctors and be told what to do.

Paramedic in SC