What artifact can occur if the patient is anxious or moving during ECG?

Motion artifacts are irregularities in the ECG tracing that can result from patient movement or anxiety. When a patient is anxious or moves during the ECG recording, the electrodes may shift or the electrical signals may become disrupted, causing the baseline of the ECG to fluctuate. This kind of artifact appears as irregular peaks and valleys in the reading, which can complicate the interpretation of the heart's electrical activity.

In contrast, electrical interference typically stems from external electrical sources, baseline wander is usually caused by factors like patient breathing or poor electrode adhesion, and frequency distortion relates to the fidelity of the signal as it is digitized. Therefore, motion artifacts specifically highlight the impact of the patient's physical state on the ECG, making it essential to manage patient comfort and stillness during the procedure to ensure accurate readings.