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Chapter 2: Problem 31

Before an electrocardiogram (ECG) is recorded for a cardiac patient, the ECG leads are usually coated with a moist paste containing sodium chloride. Why is sodium chloride applied to the leads?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Sodium chloride is applied to the ECG leads in a moist paste to create a conductive layer between the patient's skin and the electrodes, allowing for optimal transmission of electrical signals. This conductive layer is formed due to the presence of free moving ions in the dissolved sodium chloride, which reduces the skin-electrode interface resistance. Consequently, this enhances the accuracy and reliability of the electrocardiogram recording.

Step by step solution

01

Sodium chloride paste is applied to the ECG leads to create a better electrical connection between the patient's skin and the electrodes. When the paste comes into contact with the skin, it creates an electrically conductive layer, enabling the electrodes to pick up the electrical signals generated by the heart more efficiently. #Step 2: Knowing the properties of sodium chloride#

Sodium chloride (NaCl), also known as table salt, is an ionic compound. It consists of positively charged sodium ions (Na+) and negatively charged chloride ions (Cl-), which are held together by strong electrostatic forces. In aqueous solution, these ions dissociate and are free to move, making the solution conductive to electricity. #Step 3: Explaining the conductivity of the sodium chloride paste#
02

When sodium chloride is added to the moist paste, it dissolves and forms a conductive solution due to the presence of free moving ions. The conductive sodium chloride paste enables better transmission of electrical signals between the patient's skin and the ECG leads by reducing the skin-electrode interface resistance. #Step 4: Highlighting the importance of conductivity in the ECG recording#

For an accurate ECG, it is crucial to have a good electrical connection between the patient's skin and the ECG leads. The use of sodium chloride paste ensures this connection, thus allowing the ECG machine to record the heart's electrical activity with greater precision and reliability. In conclusion, sodium chloride is applied to the ECG leads because it forms a conductive layer when mixed with a moist paste, allowing for optimal transmission of electrical signals between the patient's skin and the ECG electrodes. This enhances the accuracy and reliability of the electrocardiogram.

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