ECG Test Is So Necessary For Your Heart Why? ECG Test well, your doctor may suggest you get an electrocardiogram -- also called an EKG or ECG -- to see for signs of a heart condition. It is a test that records the electrical activity of your ticker through small electrode patches that a technician attaches to the skin of your chest, arms, and legs. ECGs are quick, safe, and painless. With this test, your doctor is going to be able to: Check your cardiac rhythm See if you've got poor blood flow to your cardiac muscle (this is named ischemia) Diagnose an attack Check on things that are abnormal, like thickened cardiac muscle Detect if there are significant electrolyte abnormalities, like high potassium or high or low calcium. How Should I Prepare? Some belongings you can do to urge yourself ready: Avoid oily skin creams and lotions on the day of the test because they will keep the electrodes from making contact together with your skin.