What Is an Echocardiogram? An echocardiogram is a painless test that uses sound waves to evaluate the structure and function of the heart.

Stress Echocardiogram. This procedure is used to see how the heart muscle contracts during rest and during exercise. A STRESS ECHO is made up of three parts: a resting echo study, a stress test, and a repeat echo while the heart is beating fast.

Treadmill Stress Test This procedure is used to determine cardiac electrical activity, blood pressure, and symptoms before, during, and after exercise. Prior to exercising, the physician/nurse practitioner will determine how high your heart rate needs to be increased in order to get the desired information

Nuclear Stress Test This procedure is used to determine if you have an adequate blood supply to the different areas of your heart. In the morning, you will undergo a treadmill stress test with Thallium, a nuclear isotope that allows cardiac imaging. Patients who are unable to exercise will be given an injection of Persantine, a drug that will produce maximal heart rate with a minimal amount of exertion.

Holtor Monitors A holter monitor is a 24 hour heart monitor. It records your heart beat while you are doing everything you would normally do during the day and is able to record when you are more likely to experience symptoms.

Electrocardiagram Your heart puts out electrical signals with each beat. An electrocardiogram, or EKG, is a way of measuring these signals and therefore monitoring your heart's activity.

Cardiac catheterization. The passage of a catheter (a thin flexible tube) into the right or left side of the heart to obtain diagnostic information about the heart or its vessels

TEE - Transesophageal Echocardiogram A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is a special ultrasound or sound-wave imaging test of the heart

Stress MUGA Scan An exercise MUGA is a test that measures how strong the heart is pumping at rest and during exercise. Ordinarily, when a person exercises the heart responds by pumping out more blood with each beat.

Electrophysiology Study ..EP.. Your doctor can better assess your arrhythmia through the use of a specialized test called an electrophysiology study. Your doctor can then determine medications or treatments appropriate for you.

Catheter Ablation Due to your arrhythmia (abnormal rhythm), your doctor is considering a catheter ablation. Catheter ablation is a non-surgical technique used to eliminate alternate pathways present in the heart that interfere with the normal conduction and cause arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats).

Pacemakers Pacemakers have been successfully implanted since the early 1950's, and millions of people have benefitted from their use. Advancements in technology have improved pacemaker electronic circuitry, decreased their size and weight, and extended the length of battery life

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Your doctor has determined that you are at risk for serious arrhythmias or abnormal heart rhythm which may lead to sudden cardiac death, and has recommended that you may receive an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Sudden cardiac death (SCD) claims approximately 450,000 lives in the U.S. each year. Since the early 1980s, thousands of people at risk for SCD have received ICDs.

Diagnostic Tests and Procedures For more information on diagnostics and tests please go here.

Please note: We are not medical doctors nor are we in the healthcare field! should not be misconstrued as medical advice. ONLY your doctor can prescribe what is best for you. Whatever you read here, or at any website

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Last Modified on Oct. 10, 2001

Thanks to Cardiac Consultants for the use of there information for this material.