EKG tracings in different people

I'm curious why EKG tracings look different in different people. I mean even in NSR the tracings look very different in different people. I've attached 2 Ekgs here the first is a co-workers and the 2nd is mine. Both are NSR and coincidentally, both are 67bpm/NSR.

However, my co-workers looks much cleaner if that makes sense. The T Wave looks much more present and cleaner and their overall ekg tracing looks textbook for the tracings you see for advertisements of heart rate or ekgs. My ekg looks different even though it's NSR and the T wave doesn't look as pronounced. The same thing when done with the Kardia.

I'm in no way concerned I'm just more curious as to why EKG tracings look text book in some people and not in others even if both are in NSR?

Not sure, maybe variation occurs as to the leads are not hooked up in excatly the same spots? Also people hearts mechanically are not the same. Ejection fraction, and the differences in in all the measurements that show up on an Echo? Medication can effect EKG's.

Quality of the connection, mainly. Sit down at a desk or table, place the Kardia on the table, lick four fingers, place two on each sensor, and remain perfectly still while recording. Try that and see if it makes a difference.

Interesting. I'll try that tomorrow. Never thought about licking the fingers to get them more moist. The two Ekgs I attached are from my Samsung watch ekg. However, the Kardia also shows the same type of tracing for my Co worker and myself. Again, there ekg looks text book like the commercials or ads you see for kardia or other Ekgs or heart ads.

I do believe my 12 lead Ekgs look much ''cleaner'' but again I'm sure the look of the 1 lead ekg may vary from person to person.

You can't compare the recordings of a consumer device attached to your hand or wrist with a professional EKG attached to your chest. The farther away from your heart the sensors are, the less accurate the recording will be. That will always be true no matter what device you're using.

Carey, I know a 12 lead professional ekg is much better and more accurate then a kardia or watch. I was just saying that apples to apples the same watch and kardia from myself and a co-worker looked much differently on the tracings.

When I say there's looks much ''cleaner'' I think I realize why. I just looked at a QRS complex and it looks like the two biggest differences on my Co-workers ekg (which I attached as the first ekg attachment in this thread) reflects a pronounced S wave as well as a T wave that appears mountain shaped. This is probably why I was thinking their ekg looked textbook while my Ekgs from my same watch and kardia don't appear to show much of an S or T Wave.

I just went and looked at my last 12 lead ekg (which I've attached) and that actually appears to show an S wave but still not much of a T wave. That 12 lead also notes non specific ST & T wave abnormality. I remember when I saw that on the EKG my EP wasn't concerned about it at all. So I guess at this point I'm just curious as to why some people would have more pronounced S and or T Waves and If that's better or worse at all?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2025 04:30PM by cornerbax.