What does cardiogram mean?
A cardiogram is a graphic record of the heart's activity, most commonly the tracing produced by an electrocardiograph to capture the heart's electrical impulses. In everyday medical use the fuller term electrocardiogram — abbreviated ECG in British English and EKG in American English — has largely displaced it, but 'cardiogram' remains widely understood as a general term for any visual recording of heartbeat patterns. Doctors and technicians examine these tracings for irregularities in rhythm and conduction, making the cardiogram one of the most familiar artifacts of cardiac medicine: the jagged, spiking line patients often see on monitors or printed strips. Derived from the Greek roots kardia ('heart') and gramma ('something written'), the word literally means a 'heart writing', a fitting name for a test that turns each beat into legible marks on paper or screen.
nounA cardiogram is a graphic recording of the activity of the heart, especially one produced by an electrocardiograph. The term is often used interchangeably with electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).
- A graphic tracing of the heart's electrical or mechanical activity, produced by an instrument such as an electrocardiograph.
"The doctor studied the cardiogram carefully before recommending further tests."
"The nurse attached the sensors and waited for the cardiogram to print."
"An abnormal cardiogram prompted the cardiologist to order additional imaging."
Regular plural; used when referring to multiple recordings or tracings.
"The file contained cardiograms from three separate visits."
Every heartbeat writes its own signature — and the cardiogram is how doctors read it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cardiogram
Cardiogram comes from the Greek kardia, meaning 'heart', combined with gramma, meaning 'something written or drawn'. It was coined in the late nineteenth century alongside other '-gram' terms for instrumental recordings, as scientists developed devices capable of graphically capturing physiological signals. It shares these roots with related words such as cardiac, cardiology, and cardiograph.
Related word forms
How cardiogram is actually used
In modern medical practice, 'electrocardiogram' (abbreviated ECG in British English and EKG in American English, from the German Elektrokardiogramm) is the more precise and commonly used term; 'cardiogram' is understood but less specific.
Easily confused with cardiogram
A cardiograph is the machine that records heart activity, while a cardiogram is the tracing or record that the machine produces.