Artifact
Also calledartefact · noise · interference · ECG artifact
Definition
Any recorded deflection that does not come from the heart's electrical activity. It can mimic or hide real waveforms and lead to misdiagnosis, for example of ventricular tachycardia or acute myocardial infarction. Common sources are baseline wander (low-frequency drift from breathing or movement), muscle tremor (higher-frequency noise), power-line or other electromagnetic interference, and loose leads or broken wires. Artifact that resembles ventricular tachycardia can often be recognized because native QRS complexes keep appearing within it at the cycle length of the underlying rhythm, and because it tends to come with body movement and an unstable baseline.
Sources
- Littmann L. Electrocardiographic artifact. J Electrocardiol. 2021;64:23-29. doi.org/10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2020.11.006
- Knight BP, Pelosi F, Michaud GF, Strickberger SA, Morady F. Clinical consequences of electrocardiographic artifact mimicking ventricular tachycardia. N Engl J Med. 1999;341(17):1270-1274. doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199910213411704
- Kligfield P, Gettes LS, Bailey JJ, et al. Recommendations for the standardization and interpretation of the electrocardiogram: part I: the electrocardiogram and its technology. Circulation. 2007;115(10):1306-1324. doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.106.180200
Last reviewed 2 October 2026. Every definition in the EKG Dictionary cites the guideline, consensus statement or original paper it comes from.