What does EKG analysis primarily assess?

The primary focus of EKG (electrocardiogram) analysis is the assessment of the heart's electrical activity. An EKG works by measuring the electrical impulses that trigger each heartbeat, providing crucial information about the rhythm and overall function of the heart.

Through an EKG, healthcare professionals can detect a variety of conditions, including arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, and signs of a previous or ongoing myocardial infarction (heart attack). The waveforms produced in the EKG represent different phases of the cardiac cycle, such as depolarization and repolarization of the cardiac muscle. Understanding these phases allows clinicians to identify abnormalities in the heart's rhythm and electrical conduction pathway.

While other options presented in the question are relevant to cardiac health, they do not pertain specifically to what an EKG directly measures. For instance, heart rate variability is more about the time intervals between beats rather than the electrical signals themselves. Similarly, blood pressure fluctuations and cardiac output levels are assessed through different monitoring techniques and are not the focus of EKG analysis. The main takeaway is that EKG analysis is a vital tool for understanding the electrical mechanisms that drive heart function.