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Diagnostic Lab
An echo is an ultrasound study of the heart. It produces images that allow the physician to measure wall thicknesses, chamber sizes, and blood flow velocities. Echos are extremely helpful in the evaluation of cardiac function. Exercise testing is a noninvasive procedure that evaluates an individual's capacity for exercise. The patient exercises to maximum ability on a treadmill while blood pressure and heart rate are monitored.
During the rest phase, the patient will have an IV placed in their arm and a dose of the isotope will be administered. The patient must then wait an hour before being placed under a camera to have their first set of pictures. The picture process takes approximately 30 minutes. The stress phase of the exam begins with the patient being injected with the isotope while either walking on a treadmill or receiving medication to stress the heart muscle. Immediately following the injection of the isotope the treadmill will be stopped and the patient will have pictures taken. These are the final set of pictures.
 Instructions are as follows:
Holter monitors are devices worn by the patient to record the heart’s rhythm 24 hours a day. A monitor is connected to the patient by 5 electrodes placed on the chest. The patient is asked to keep a diary while wearing the monitor to correlate symptoms with monitored data. CIC offers Carotid ultrasound procedures as well as lower extremity arterial testing, both segmental pressures and duplex scanning
Event monitors are recording devices that are used to capture a single event such as dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, etc. The monitor is placed on the chest during the episode and a button is pushed to start the recording for 30 seconds. The patient will then send the information by phone back to the office for evaluation by the cardiologist. Because these monitors only hold one episode or event the patient will be given instructions on how to clear the device for further use. Tilt testing evaluates patients loss of or near loss of consciousness. The patient is hooked up to a monitor and a blood pressure cuff and required to lie flat for 27 minutes. Then the patient is tilted to a 70 degree head up position, for 45 minutes. At this time, if the test is still negative the patient is placed in a supine position and an infusion of sublingual nitroglycerin or Isuprel is administered. The patient is then tilted again through different stages depending on the protocol decided upon for the individual.
CIC has a complete pacemaker and defibrillator follow-up clinic. The equipment checks thresholds and changes parameters on devices and is so advanced doctors can check pacemakers over the telephone.
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Consultants in Cardiology, P.A.
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Diagnostic nuclear testing helps determine if the heart muscle is getting the correct amount of blood supply. The exam is divided in to two parts; the rest phase and the stress phase.
