Undulating Baseline on EKG?

[bettyn1010]

What causes the ekg reading to have a wavey appearance to it? I have had 3 different ekgs and all of them seem to have a wave pattern to them to the point of not really being able to determine what the isolectric baseline is. On my third ekg on leads I, III, VI and V2 the wave pattern to them makes it impossible to determine the isolectric line. The rhythm strip II at the bottome of the ekg also has this wave pattern to it but not as bad as the other leads described above. I believe this would be called undulating baseline? Just to explain further for better understanding, on V1 the wave pattern is so significant that from one QRS to the other is basically a flat line going down at an angle till it reaches the next QRS. I hope I explained this clearly. It's really the only way I know of to explain it. What would cause this to happen?  

[CCF-M.D.-CRC]

Dear betty,
An undulating or moving baseline is usually due to technical factors in the ECG recording and has nothing to do with the individual's heart rhythm itself.  Ways to decrease this effect during the recording include remaining completely still during the recording, not breathing or breathing very shallow, not using lotions the day prior to the ECG, prepping the skin with alcohol prep pads and sandpaper tape prior to attaching the electrodes, proper lead placement and making sure the patient is electrically isolated during the recording.

[bettyn1010]

Ok, another question.  Since the baseline is so erratic, how would read this ekg?  The three ekgs I had done were all about 2 months apart.  2 from one doctor and the last from another.  The first two were computer read and the reading from the computer was taken as the diagnosis.  When the last one was done I gave the doctor the two prior ekgs and and not even 1 minute later he returned and said all were the same...normal.  Now, the last one was not computer diagnosed he looked it over.  But I find it hard to believe that it would take him less than a minute to get a good reading of this ekg.  I went in for palpitations, fast heart beat, pounding of my heart so bad it will rock my recliner, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizzyness, lightheadedness, wet cough I've had for months, blotchy skin color on legs, cold hands and feet but at the touch of my palms they will be sweaty, at times having to "catch" my breath, at times not being able to take a deep breath.  He listened to my heart while I was lying down but that was it besides the blood tests.  No blood pressure, no different positions to hear for different heart sounds or anything like that.  Went back in and he said all blood tests were good.  He at first said he thought it would be either my thyroid or a leaky heart valve.  Thyroid tests came back good and was told it's not my thyroid.  I could have told him this since I had a thyroid test 6 months ago for the same problem.  I'm not anemic.  He ordered a 24 hour holter monitor, then after that maybe an echo.  Would a leaky heart valve show on ekg? And what would cause a leaky heart valve?

[Teri74]

A related discussion, Stress Test was started.