An electrocardiogram records the electrical activity of the heart.

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An electrocardiogram records the electrical activity of the heart. It captures the electrical impulses that coordinate heartbeats, showing heart rate and rhythm and revealing abnormalities in conduction or rhythm, such as arrhythmias or ischemic changes. This is different from other measurements: oxygen saturation is read with pulse oximetry, blood pressure with a cuff and gauge, and heart sounds are heard with a stethoscope. So the description that best fits an ECG is the record of the heart’s electrical activity.