What is an electrocardiogram (ECG)?

An ECG is a measurement that represents the electrical activity of your heart. With each heartbeat, an electrical impulse passes through the heart, causing it to contract and pump blood. A device like the BPM Vision records this activity in the form of a wave, providing an overview of your heart rate and rhythm.

It's a single-lead ECG, which means it records a single view of the heart's electrical activity. This is sufficient to detect rhythm abnormalities such as atrial fibrillation (AF), but it cannot diagnose other heart problems such as a heart attack, which require a full 12-lead ECG performed in a medical setting.

Classification of ECG results

Important: The information provided by these devices is for guidance only and does not replace a medical diagnosis. In the event of symptoms (chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness) or if you have any doubts, contact your doctor or the emergency services immediately.

After a recording, the device analyzes the signal and provides a classification to help you interpret the result. Here's what the different categories mean:

	Heart rate: 50 to 99 beats per minute (BPM). Meaning: A Sinus Rhythm result means your heart rate is between 50 and 99 beats per minute (bpm) and is beating regularly. This is a normal result.
	Heart rate: 50 to 99 BPM. Meaning: An Atrial Fibrillation result means the heart rate is between 50 and 99 beats per minute (bpm) and is beating irregularly.  If you have not been diagnosed with AFib before, you should talk to your doctor. This is an abnormal result.
	Heart rate: 50 to 150 BPM. Meaning: An Atrial Fibrillation — High HR result means your heart rate is beating between 100 and 150 beats per minute and is beating with an irregular pattern.  If you get this result for the first time, it's important to consult a doctor. This is an abnormal result.
	Heart rate: 100 to 150 BPM (no sign of AFib). Meaning: A High Heart Rate (No signs of AFib) result means the heart rate is beating between 100 and 150 beats per minute (bpm) and does not show any signs of Atrial Fibrillation. Many different things can cause a high heart rate. A heart rate may be high because of exercise, stress, dehydration, infection, an arrhythmia, or another cause.  Talk to your doctor if you have questions about your ECG recording.
	Heart rate: 100 to 150 BPM Meaning: A High Heart Rate result means your heart is beating above 150 beats per minute (bpm). This recording cannot be classified by Withings ECG Monitor 2. Many different things can cause a high heart rate. A heart rate may be high because of exercise, stress, dehydration, infection, AFib, another arrhythmia or another cause.    Talk to your doctor if you have questions about your ECG recording.
	Heart rate: Less than 50 BPM. Meaning: A Low Heart Rate result means your heart is beating less than 50 beats per minute (bpm). This recording cannot be classified by Withings ECG Monitor 2. A low heart rate can happen if electrical signals are not properly conducted through the heart. Some medicines can also cause a low heart rate. Some elite athletes may also have a low heart rate. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about your ECG recording.
	Meaning: A Poor Recording result means the recording quality is low and the ECG cannot be classified. This may be caused by errors during the measurement. Some things that can cause this type of result are: excessive movement that causes a signal of poor quality; OR proximity to an electrical device that generates strong electromagnetic fields; not holding the handle correctly; or not correctly positioning  your feet on the scale. A small percentage of people may have certain physiological conditions that prevent them  from creating enough signal to produce a quality recording.    You may try to re-record your ECG. You can review how to take an ECG during setup or by tapping Take a Recording in the ECG section of the Withings app on your smartphone.
	Meaning: An Inconclusive result means that the signal cannot be classified as Sinus Rhythm or Atrial Fibrillation, although the quality of the recording is good. This may be due to various conditions, including but not limited to other arrhythmias or other heart conditions.  Talk to your doctor if you have questions about your ECG recording.