Are EKG's reliable

[patientsometimes]

Are EKG's reliable?  I don't think so.  I went to a doctor's office three years ago and had an EKG that he said was clear.  An hour and a half later, I had what I realize now was a major cardiac event ( Could not breathe at all. Could not catch my breath.  Thought I would die).  Five days later, the heart attack with cardiac arrest and a left circumflex stent to open the artery and save my life.  Now, three years later, with thorough and invasive testing behind me showing unreparable blockages in three arteries and a carotid blockage of 60% in addition, my EKG has been coming back normal except for what the doctor calls a heart block.  Normal?  OK.  My father the same, till his next major attack some years later when a catheterization showed despite the previously normal EKG's, his first heart attack had done major damage to his anterior wall.  My scar tissue around the stent has healed, but there is damage to the anterior wall.  Is an EKG reliable?  It's a preliminary test that points in a direction.  But, no doctor would base extensive treatment on it, right?  Any comments would be appreciated.

[Me967]

Hi.  I don't think you can put much trust in a EKG unless you have something going on right at the time it is being done.  My Dr. seems to like to use them often on me.  Only with me they always come back abnormal every time and sound absolutely horrible.
  
They used to scare me on what all they said.  Now I've learned to ignore them.  An Echo if needed is your best choice "in my opinion" on finding out what is really going on with your heart.  

Take care;  Amy

[SilverLining00]

I'd like some insight into their reliability as well.  Apparently, from your post, it seems it doesn't detect all past heart attacks.  It would be nice to have a better understanding of the detection limits of an EKG.