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VA Electrocardiogram (EKG) Learn More

General Information

EKG stands for Electrocardiogram. An EKG can also be referred to as an ECG. An EKG is a test that measures the electrical activity of the heart. This includes the rate and regularity of beats as well as the size and position of the chambers, any damage to the heart, and effects of drugs or devices to regulate the heart. It can be a very useful tool for determining whether a person has heart disease. Your health care provider may order this test if you have chest pain or palpitations. An EKG is a simple test that does not cause discomfort. EKGs are used in one of two ways:

  1. Screening - to determine if you have a certain condition even before you have symptoms

  2. Diagnosing - used if you have signs, symptoms, or some other reason to think heart problems may be present

Your health care provider may recommend additional tests based on the results of your EKG. For basic information about what an EKG is and what to expect, select the link Electrocardiogram.

VA Electrocardiogram (EKG)

The VA Electrocardiogram (EKG) feature in VA Blue Button provides a list of your EKG results that are recorded in your official VA health record. You may hear Electrocardiograms also referred to as EKGs or ECGs. All of these terms refer to the same test.

Note: EKG dates are no longer updated. You may continue to view your historical EKG dates.

Accessing VA EKG results in My HealtheVet

In order to have access to the VA Electrocardiogram (EKG) feature in My HealtheVet, you must:

  • Be a Veteran enrolled at a VA health care facility

  • Be a registered My HealtheVet user

  • Have an upgraded Premium* account

*VA patients may upgrade to a Premium account. To do this you will need to go through authentication. This is a process by which VA verifies a Veterans' identity. This is done before allowing access to their VA health record. To learn more, go to: Upgrading your My HealtheVet account through In-Person or Online Authentication.

Use the VA Blue Button to view, print, or download personal information in your My HealtheVet account, including your VA Electrocardiogram (EKG) reports. You can share your information with your caregiver, non-VA provider or others. This will give them additional information that may help them better understand your health and health care needs.

If you have questions, visit the VA Electrocardiogram (EKG) Frequently Asked Questions. This section has questions and answers that may help you understand more about the VA Electrocardiogram (EKG) feature. Or, you can talk with your health care team online using Secure Messaging. Use it to:

  • Ask about your EKG results

  • Ask if there are any health changes they recommend you make based on your results

  • Request an appointment, or

  • Discuss any non-emergent question or health concern you may have.

If you are fully informed, you may be able to make better choices to improve your health.

Resources

Electrocardiogram: Learn more about what an EKG is and what you can expect.

Updated April 11, 2022