If you have a bad ECG on a custo cardio 300 or 400 we share below some suggestion to get a better ECG.

The sample rate of the custo cardio 300 and 400 is higher than the previous ECG devices custo med offered. This is good but in some occasion will lead to and ECG that will show more artifacts.

To prevent artifacts we offer you some "tips and tricks".

Resting ECG

It is always important that you prepare a patient or test subject before you place the electrodes on the skin. The goal is, to get an as low as possible resistance between the electrode and the skin,

  1. Place the electrodes on the correct position, see image 1
  2. Always remove the hair from the skin on the location where you want to place the electrodes.
  3. Scrub the skin with a gaze with some alcohol or e.g. scotch-brite to clean the skin and remove small particles. In some occasion patients have used body lotion. this might cause the electrodes not to stick on the body properly or even worse, the create a isolating film between the electrodes and the skin.
  4. Use the correct electrodes, Holter electrodes can stay on the body for several days without irritating the skin of the patient, but for resting ECG we would like to use electrodes with gel that works immediately. This gel is more aggressive and most of the time not suitable to use on the skin for several days.
  5. Check always that the electrodes are not out of date. Sometimes the electrodes are not out of date but the package has been opened weeks ago and the open package hasn't been stored under the right conditions. Electrodes might dry out.
  6. If clamps and cups are used to measure the resting ECG, make sure the is no oxidation on the electrodes. These electrodes do not have an endless life time.
  7. In case you use clamps with cups or a vacuum system make sure you use the right contact spray. Water, Salt water, spray or gel used for Echo graphy will not lead to higher ECG quality.
  8. If the patient is placed on a metal bed, make sure the bed is connected to the potential equivalent.


Image 1











Image 2



Stress ECG

It is always important that you prepare a patient or test subject before place the electrodes on the skin. What you want is to get an as low as possible resistance between the electrode and the skin,

  1. Place the electrodes on the correct position, see drawing 1. Prevent to stick the electrodes on muscles that are used to perform the exercise. e.g. it is better to place the extremities on the back of the patient while running on the treadmill.
  2. Always remove the hair from the skin on the location where you want to place the electrodes.
  3. Scrub the skin with a gaze with some alcohol or e.g. scotch-brite to clean the skin and remove small particles. In some occasion patients have used body lotion. this might cause the electrodes not to stick on the body properly or even worse, the create a isolating film between the electrodes and the skin.
  4. Use the correct electrodes, Holter electrodes can stay on the body for several days without irritating the skin of the patient, but for resting ECG we would like to use electrodes with gel that works immediately. This gel is more aggressive and most of the time not suitable to use on the skin for several days.
  5. Check always that the electrodes are not out of date. Sometimes the electrodes are not out of date but the package has been opened weeks ago and the open package hasn't been stored under the right conditions. Electrodes might dry out.
  6. In case a vacuum system is used, make sure you use the right contact spray. Water, Salt water, spray or gel used for Echo graphy will not lead to higher ECG quality. The electrodes of a vacuum system do not have an endless life time. The custo cardio 400 can perform 10.000 ECG with one set of electrodes.
  7. If the patient is placed on a treadmill or ergometer, make sure the treadmill or ergometer is connected to the potential equivalent.
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