OUR GP — Dundee · Diagnostics12-Lead ECGHeart TracingA full 12-lead ECG — the same hospital-standard test used in cardiology departments — recorded at our Dundee clinic, interpreted by a GP, and emailed to you as a PDF report. For palpitations, an irregular pulse, breathlessness, dizziness, medicals and baseline checks. No referral needed. Book a free GP call +44 7857 761328Not sure an ECG is what you need? Start with a free 10-minute GP call — we’ll tell you whether it’s the right test, and what else is worth doing at the same time. £140 all-inclusive Full 12-lead recording GP-interpreted PDF report emailed⏱ 10-second recording, 20–30 min visit🩺 Interpreted by a GMC-registered GP📧 PDF report emailed same day💷 £140 — no hidden feesThe serviceThe gold-standard heart tracing, without the waitWe now record full 12-lead ECGs in clinic — the reference test every cardiologist, hospital and guideline is built around — and explain the result to you the same visit.An ECG (electrocardiogram) records the electrical activity of your heart. A 12-lead ECG uses ten small sticky electrodes — one on each arm and leg, and six across the chest — to look at the heart from twelve different angles at once.Six of those views come from the limbs and show the heart from above, below and either side. The other six come from the chest and sit directly over the heart muscle. Together they answer two kinds of question: what is the rhythm doing? and is the heart muscle and its wiring healthy?That makes it the right first test for palpitations and a suspected irregular rhythm such as atrial fibrillation, and also for things a smartwatch or handheld device cannot see: signs of strain or thickening of the heart muscle, evidence of a previous heart attack, conduction problems such as bundle branch block, and inherited electrical conditions. Your GP reads the full trace with you, explains it in plain English, and emails you the PDF report.When a 12-lead isn’t the whole answerAn ECG records around ten seconds of your heart at rest. If your symptoms come and go, are triggered by exercise, or suggest a structural problem, you may also need ambulatory (Holter) monitoring, an echocardiogram, exercise testing or a cardiology opinion. If so, we will tell you plainly and arrange it — by writing to your NHS GP, by urgent referral where appropriate, or by onward private referral if you prefer. £140 all-inclusive£140 for a full 12-lead ECG, including the recording, GP interpretation, and your PDF report emailed to you. Book a free GP call → Call to discussBefore your ECGWear a separate top and bottoms — you’ll need to undress to the waistAvoid body lotion or oil on your chest, arms and legs that dayA chaperone is always available — just askTights can make ankle electrodes tricky — trousers or bare legs are easiestNote when your symptoms happen — bring datesBring a list of your current medicationsYour appointmentWhat to expect at your ECG appointmentPainless, quick and private. The recording itself takes seconds — most of the appointment is the conversation around it.1A short GP review firstWe ask what you have been feeling, when it happens, how long it lasts, and what else is going on — thyroid problems, caffeine, alcohol, new medication, anxiety, anaemia and dehydration all affect the heart’s rhythm. We check your pulse and blood pressure. This context is what turns a trace into an answer.2Getting readyYou undress to the waist and lie on the couch, with your lower legs uncovered. We offer a gown or cover and a chaperone. Occasionally a small area of chest hair needs trimming so the electrodes stick properly.3Placing the electrodesTen small sticky electrodes go on — one on each wrist or upper arm, one on each ankle, and six in a line across the left side of the chest. They are attached to the ECG machine by leads. Nothing goes into your body.4The recording itself — about ten secondsYou lie still, breathe normally, relax your shoulders and don’t talk. The machine records all twelve leads simultaneously. If the trace is noisy we simply repeat it. The electrodes peel off afterwards.5Your GP interprets it with youWe go through rate, rhythm, axis, P waves, the PR interval, QRS width and shape, ST segments, T waves and the QT interval across all twelve leads. The machine’s automated report is treated as a prompt, not a verdict — the GP’s interpretation is the one that counts.6Your report and a clear planYou receive a PDF of your ECG with the GP’s interpretation, usually the same day — yours to keep, to show a cardiologist, or to send to your NHS GP (we can send it directly if you ask). Next steps may be reassurance, blood tests to look for a treatable cause, ambulatory monitoring, an echocardiogram, a stroke-risk and anticoagulation discussion if we find atrial fibrillation, or referral to cardiology. You will not leave without knowing what happens next.At a glanceRecording time: about 10 secondsAppointment: around 20–30 minutesDiscomfort: none — no needlesUndressing: to the waist, plus lower legsResult: explained on the dayReport: PDF emailed to youReferral needed: noThis is not an emergency serviceIf you have chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to the jaw or arm, sudden severe breathlessness, or you have collapsed or blacked out, call 999 now. Do not delay emergency care to book an appointment with us — a heart attack needs hospital assessment and blood tests, not just an ECG.Back to top ↑The difference12-lead ECG vs smartwatch & handheld ECGsMany people come to us after a smartwatch alert or a home recording. Those devices are useful — but they see far less of the heart than a 12-lead ECG. 12-lead ECG — with usTwelve views of the heartSix limb leads (I, II, III, aVR, aVL, aVF) plus six chest leads (V1–V6). The limb leads look at the heart in the vertical plane; the chest leads sit directly over the heart muscle in the horizontal plane. Together they show both the rhythm and the health of the heart muscle and its wiring — which part of the heart is affected, not just whether something is wrong. Smartwatch / handheld ECGOne to six views, all from the limbsSmartwatches record a single lead (roughly lead I); handheld devices such as Kardia record one or six limb leads. Good for capturing a rhythm at the moment symptoms strike — but with no chest leads, large areas of heart muscle are simply not seen.12-lead ECG (in clinic with us)Smartwatch / handheld ECGViews of the heart12 — six limb leads plus chest leads V1–V61 to 6 — limb leads onlyElectrodes10 adhesive electrodes on chest, arms and legsWatch crown or metal pads touched with fingers / kneeUndressingTo the waist; chest may need trimmingNoneTimeAbout 10 seconds to record; 5–10 minutes including set-up30 secondsInterpreted byA GP, on the dayAn algorithm — needs clinician review to confirmRepeatable during symptoms?Only if symptoms are present during the appointmentYes — you can record the moment symptoms startRhythm & rateThe reference standard — accepted for diagnosing atrial fibrillation1Useful screening. An alert needs confirming on an ECG reviewed by a clinicianIntervals (PR, QRS, QT)The reference standard, measured across all leadsLimited — QT and QRS can be under- or over-read on one leadIschaemia & previous heart attackYes — including which part of the heart is affectedNot reliable — no chest leadsHeart muscle thickening (LVH)Yes — standard criteria use the chest leadsNoMedicals, pre-op & baseline checksYes — the format examiners and surgeons expectNot acceptedCost£140 with us, including GP interpretation and PDF reportCost of the deviceSuperscript numbers refer to the guidelines section below. See the guidelines.Back to top ↑Strengths and blind spotsWhat a 12-lead ECG picks up — and what it doesn’tBeing honest about the blind spots is the point. A normal ECG is only reassuring if you know what it was capable of seeing. 12-lead ECGWhat it picks up wellAtrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, if present at the timeHeart rate, and whether the rhythm is regular or irregularEctopic beats — the “skipped” or “extra” beats people feelSlow and fast rhythms, and heart block of all degreesBundle branch blocks and other conduction problemsEvidence of a previous, sometimes silent, heart attackSigns of reduced blood supply to the heart muscle (ischaemia)Left ventricular hypertrophy — thickening of the heart muscle, often from high blood pressureLong and short QT, Brugada pattern and pre-excitation (WPW)Pericarditis and some electrolyte effects, such as high potassiumA baseline for medicals, pre-operative checks and medicines that affect the QT interval Its blind spotsWhat it cannot seeAn arrhythmia that isn’t happening during the ~10 seconds it recordsParoxysmal (come-and-go) AF between episodes — a normal ECG does not exclude itPalpitations you get once a fortnight at 3amNarrowed arteries in someone with no symptoms and a normal traceHeart valves, pumping strength and heart failure directly — that needs an echocardiogramProblems that only appear on exertion — that may need exercise testing or cardiologyThe honest summaryA 12-lead ECG is the best photograph of the heart’s electrical activity. But a photograph only shows the moment it was taken — for intermittent symptoms, longer monitoring may catch what a single ECG misses, and we will tell you if that is the case.Back to top ↑Weighing it upBenefits and limitations BenefitsWhy a 12-lead ECGThe reference standard. Every other ECG is measured against itSees much more. Rhythm, conduction, heart muscle and signs of previous damage in one testGuideline-recommended. The test NICE advises when atrial fibrillation is suspected1 and for palpitations2Accepted everywhere. Understood by every cardiologist, hospital, surgeon and medical examinerQuick answer. Recorded and explained by a GP in the same appointmentPortable evidence. A PDF report you own and can share LimitationsWhat to bear in mindYou’ll need to undress to the waist, and chest hair may need trimmingRecords only about ten seconds — it misses what isn’t happening right thenA normal ECG does not rule out heart disease or intermittent arrhythmiaCannot assess heart valves or pumping function — that needs an echocardiogramNot an emergency test — chest pain happening now needs 999Back to top ↑Clinical useConditions a 12-lead ECG helps us assessAll findings are interpreted by a GP alongside your history and examination. A trace on its own is never the whole answer.Atrial fibrillation & flutterAF matters because it raises stroke risk, and that risk is treatable. A 12-lead ECG is the recommended test to confirm it. If we find it, we assess your stroke risk, discuss anticoagulation, and arrange the follow-up AF requires.Palpitations & ectopic beatsThe commonest reason people book. Most palpitations turn out to be benign ectopics or a fast normal rhythm — but a 12-lead also checks for the less common underlying conditions, such as pre-excitation or long QT, that need a specialist.Slow & fast heart ratesUseful in dizziness, fatigue and near-fainting, and for people on rate-slowing medicines such as beta blockers. A 12-lead shows the rhythm and whether the heart’s conduction system is working normally.High blood pressureNICE recommends a 12-lead ECG when high blood pressure is diagnosed, to look for strain or thickening of the heart muscle (left ventricular hypertrophy)3. We commonly pair it with blood and urine tests.Breathlessness & reduced exercise toleranceAn abnormal ECG can point towards heart failure, previous heart damage or a rhythm problem, and helps decide whether an echocardiogram is needed.Conduction delay & heart blockBundle branch blocks, fascicular blocks and all degrees of heart block are seen in detail across twelve leads — and some need prompt cardiology review.QT interval & medicine monitoringSome medicines — including certain antipsychotics, antidepressants, antibiotics and methadone — can lengthen the QT interval. A formal 12-lead is the recommended way to measure it at baseline and on treatment4.Dizziness, blackouts & near-faintsA 12-lead ECG is part of the standard assessment of a blackout. Blackouts with no warning, or during exertion, always warrant urgent assessment — we will escalate rather than reassure.Medicals & baseline checksOccupational, sports, diving and insurance medicals, pre-operative checks, and a documented baseline if you have a family history of heart disease or sudden cardiac death.Back to top ↑The evidenceWhat the guidelines sayThe 12-lead ECG is the reference test that national guidance is built around. Here is where it fits.Atrial fibrillationNICE advises that anyone with an irregular pulse, or symptoms suggesting atrial fibrillation, should have a 12-lead ECG to make the diagnosis. Smartwatch and handheld recordings can raise the suspicion, but the diagnosis should be confirmed on an ECG reviewed by a clinician.1PalpitationsNICE’s primary care guidance on palpitations recommends a 12-lead ECG as a core investigation, ideally recorded during symptoms if possible, alongside blood tests to look for a treatable cause.2High blood pressureWhen hypertension is diagnosed, NICE recommends a 12-lead ECG as part of checking for target organ damage — particularly thickening of the heart muscle.3Medicines that affect the QT intervalFor medicines known to prolong the QT interval, a baseline and follow-up 12-lead ECG is the standard way to measure it, because QT measured on fewer leads is less reliable.4Which is exactly how we use it: a guideline-standard test, read by a GP, with a clear onward plan when the trace or your symptoms call for more.In one lineA smartwatch can tell you something may be wrong. A 12-lead ECG, read by a GP, tells you what it is — and what to do next.ReferencesNICE. Atrial fibrillation: diagnosis and management (NG196). View guidanceNICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries. Palpitations. View summaryNICE. Hypertension in adults: diagnosis and management (NG136). View guidanceNICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries. Long QT syndrome / drug-induced QT prolongation. View CKSBack to top ↑FeesECG pricingOne simple price. Includes the recording, GP interpretation, and your report emailed as a PDF. No hidden fees. £140 all-inclusive12-lead ECG with GP interpretationA full 12-lead ECG recorded at our Dundee clinic, interpreted by a GMC-registered GP who explains the result to you on the day, with a PDF report emailed to you — and sent to your NHS GP on request. Can be added to a GP consultation, health screen or blood test appointment, or booked on its own. Book a free GP call Free 10-minute callNot sure an ECG is right for you?Ten minutes on the phone with a GMC-registered GP, at no charge. We’ll talk through your symptoms, tell you honestly whether an ECG is the right test, and whether anything else — blood tests, blood pressure checks, or longer heart monitoring — should go alongside it. Call to discussAlready booked a consultation?Just ask and we can record your ECG in the same visit. Book a free GP call →Consultation fees, blood tests to investigate a cause, and onward referral are quoted separately — we will always tell you the cost before proceeding. Fees are correct at the time of publication; please confirm when booking.Back to top ↑SuitabilityWho benefits mostA 12-lead ECG is likely to help if you…Get palpitations, fluttering, thumping or “skipped” beatsHave been told your pulse feels irregularHave a smartwatch or home ECG device that has flagged an irregular rhythmHave known atrial fibrillation and want your rate and rhythm checkedHave recently been diagnosed with high blood pressureFeel light-headed, unusually breathless on exertion, or unusually tiredAre starting or taking a medicine that can affect the QT intervalHave a family history of heart disease, arrhythmia or sudden cardiac deathNeed an ECG for an occupational, sports, diving or insurance medical, or before surgeryAre adding a heart check to a wider health screenA 12-lead ECG on its own is not the right test if you…Have chest pain, pressure or tightness right now — call 999Have symptoms only once every few weeks — ambulatory or event monitoring over days will catch more than any single recordingGet symptoms only during exercise — you may need exercise testing or a cardiology opinionNeed your heart valves or pumping function assessed — that needs an echocardiogramHave a pacemaker or ICD needing a device check — that is a cardiology device clinic jobNeed an ECG for a specific medical with its own rules (for example aviation) — check what your examiner requires firstNot sure which applies to you? Call us on +44 7857 761328 and we will tell you honestly — including when the answer is that you need something we don’t offer.Back to top ↑QuestionsFrequently asked questions Does an ECG hurt?No. An ECG only listens — it does not put anything into your body. The only sensation is the electrodes sticking on and peeling off, a bit like removing a plaster. How long does it take?The recording itself takes about ten seconds. With the GP review, setting up and talking through the result, allow around 20–30 minutes. How much does it cost?£140, including the recording, GP interpretation and your PDF report. If you also want a consultation or blood tests, we will tell you the cost of those before going ahead. Will I need to undress?Yes — to the waist, and your lower legs need to be uncovered for the ankle electrodes. We offer a gown or cover, and a chaperone is always available. Wearing a separate top and trousers makes it easiest. Can an ECG rule out a heart attack?Not on its own. A heart attack is diagnosed with a combination of symptoms, repeated ECGs and blood tests in hospital. If you have chest pain now, call 999 — do not book a clinic ECG. Will I get a copy of my ECG?Yes. You receive a PDF of your ECG with the GP’s interpretation, usually the same day. We can also send it directly to your NHS GP practice if you ask. What happens if my ECG is abnormal?We explain exactly what we’ve found and what it means. Depending on the finding, that may mean blood tests, longer heart monitoring, an echocardiogram, starting treatment, or referral to cardiology — urgently if needed. We will always tell you the plan before you leave. My smartwatch flagged an irregular rhythm. Is that worth checking?Yes. Smartwatch alerts are a useful prompt, but they need confirming on a proper ECG read by a clinician. Bring your watch or the saved recordings — they help us interpret the full picture. Can I bring recordings from my own home ECG device?Yes, please do. A recording taken during your symptoms, alongside a 12-lead taken in clinic, often gives us the most complete answer. Can you do the ECG at the same time as blood tests?Yes — and it is often sensible to. Thyroid function, full blood count and electrolytes commonly explain rhythm changes, and we can do both in one visit. Do I need a referral from my NHS GP?No. You can book directly with us. If you would like, we can send your report to your NHS GP afterwards. Is it suitable if I have a pacemaker or a tremor?Usually, yes. A 12-lead ECG can be recorded with a pacemaker, but checking the device itself needs a cardiology device clinic. Tremor can make the trace harder to read — we may repeat it. Give us a call before booking if you are unsure.Back to top ↑Book todayGet your 12-lead ECG recorded and explainedAppointments at our Dundee clinic. £140 all-inclusive — GP interpretation and your PDF report included. Book a free GP call +44 7857 761328 care@ourgp.co.ukThe information on this page is general medical information and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. If you are unwell, contact your GP, NHS 24 on 111, or 999 in an emergency.