Research indicates that an EKG can detecting cardiac conditions that put people at risk. Physical exams that incorporate screenings with an EKG are six times more likely to detect a risky heart condition than screenings that involved only a patient history and physical.

A 12-lead EKG can add value to an standard physical exam and help with assessing the overall health of the heart before treatment of surgery, detecting irregular heartbeats, monitoring the effects of medication, identifying the cause of an arrhythmia, getting a baseline tracing of the heart’s function, finding the cause of heart disease symptoms, investigating a history of fainting or palpitations, checking if the heart's walls are too thick, determining if there is evidence of a heart attack, finding the cause of unexplained chest pain.