Comparison · Medical test vs Medical test
ECG vs echocardiogram
One records the heart's electricity, the other shows its structure and motion. They answer different questions and are usually both needed when heart disease is suspected.
| Aspect | Electrocardiogram | Echocardiogram |
|---|---|---|
| What it shows | Electrical rhythm, rate, conduction and signs of ischaemia, injury or strain over 10 seconds | Chamber sizes, wall thickness and motion, pumping function (ejection fraction), valves and pressures in real time |
| How it is done | Ten electrodes on the chest and limbs; painless, no radiation, under 5 minutes | Ultrasound probe with gel on the chest for 20-40 minutes; no radiation; a transoesophageal version for detailed views |
| Best at | Arrhythmias, acute coronary syndromes (ST elevation), conduction block, electrolyte effects, QT prolongation | Heart failure, valve disease, cardiomyopathy, pericardial fluid, sources of embolism, congenital disease |
| Cannot show | Pumping function, valve disease or coronary anatomy; may be normal early in a heart attack | The rhythm over time or the coronary arteries themselves |
| Who reads it | Automated interpretation confirmed by a clinician, often at the bedside | A sonographer or cardiologist, with a structured report |
| Typical sequence | First-line, repeated serially with troponin | Ordered when the ECG, symptoms or BNP raise a structural question |
Where Electrocardiogram fits
Chest pain, palpitations, blackouts, suspected heart attack or rhythm problem; a first test in minutes
Where Echocardiogram fits
Breathlessness with a raised BNP, murmurs and valve disease, after a heart attack, heart failure staging
Educational content. A comparison explains what each test, marker or medicine is for and how they differ. It is educational and does not say which one a person should have; that decision belongs to the clinician who knows the person and the question.