Hello, I'm an expert in the field of medical technology with a focus on electrocardiography (ECG). An artifact in the context of an ECG refers to any waveform distortion that is not related to the electrical activity of the heart but appears on the ECG trace. These artifacts can be caused by a variety of factors, including: 1. Electromyogram (EMG) interference: Muscle noise from the patient can create artifacts, especially if the patient is not relaxed. 2. Motion artifacts: Any movement by the patient can cause changes in the electrical baseline, leading to artifacts. 3. Electrode issues: Poor electrode contact or the presence of sweat, dirt, or hair at the electrode site can lead to artifacts. 4. Electrical interference: External electrical sources, such as power lines or medical equipment, can cause interference. 5. Lead misplacement: If the electrodes are not properly placed, it can result in incorrect readings or artifacts. 6. Cardiac pacer spikes: If a patient has a pacemaker, the spikes generated by the device can appear as artifacts on the ECG. It's important to recognize and differentiate these artifacts from actual cardiac abnormalities to ensure accurate diagnosis and treatment. read more >>

In electrocardiography, an ECG artifact is used to indicate something that is not "heart-made." These include (but are not limited to) electrical interference by outside sources, electrical noise from elsewhere in the body, poor contact, and machine malfunction.read more >>