# Spelling of a medical term, re EKG

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-a-medical-term-re-ekg/803737>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 6, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-a-medical-term-re-ekg/803737 "2017-12-06T19:47:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-a-medical-term-re-ekg/803737/21 "2017-12-08T01:27:37Z")

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> [@USCDiver](#):
>
> It comes from the German spelling, electokardiogram

> [@bob\_2](#):
>
> Over here it is always ECG.

> [@Derleth](#):
>
> bob++, where are you?

Please say it’s Germany. That’d be amusingly ironic.

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**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-a-medical-term-re-ekg/803737/22 "2017-12-08T02:05:27Z")

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I looked up this word (asystole) because of this question because I wanted to know the origin. I could only find a date (1860 i think). Was there a medical text or something that first used it to describe this condition?

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