A test that checks for problems with the electrical activity of your heart. An EKG shows the heart’s electrical activity as line tracing on paper. The spikes and dips in the tracings are called waves. An EKG is done to check the heart’s electrical activity. It can find the cause of symptoms of heart disease, for example, unexplained chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, syncope, or pressure. An EKG only takes 10 minutes in the office.