Each beat of your heart is triggered by an electrical impulse normally generated from special cells in the upper right chamber of your heart, which then travel throughout your heart muscle, triggering the mechanical pumping of this amazing organ. An electrocardiogram (also called an ECG or EKG) records these electrical signals and their travels. Your doctor can use an electrocardiogram to look for patterns among these heartbeats and rhythms to diagnose various heart conditions. It is a quick, noninvasive and painless test that can give your doctor very important information about your heart health.