Tests and Procedures Available at Dallas Heart and Vascular Consultants
The physicians at Dallas Heart & Vascular may order tests to check the health of your heart and vascular system. These tests help diagnose heart and vascular disorders and determine the severity and extent of these conditions. Once the tests are completed and the heart or vascular conditions are diagnosed, other procedures may be performed to treat your heart and vascular diseases. Our physicians perform the following testing and procedures for heart and vascular health.
Tests & Procedures
Electrocardiogram (EKG)
An electrocardiogram, better known as an EKG or ECG, is a non-invasive diagnostic test that uses electrodes to record the electrical activity of the heart. It can assist in diagnosing a number of heart conditions, including heart attack and abnormal heart rhythms. Even when there is no suspicion of heart disease, an EKG is often part of a general physical examination and health screening.
Echocardiogram
An Echocardiogram is a non-invasive test that uses sound waves (ultrasound) to produce images of your heart, showing its size, structure, and function. It provides valuable information about your heart health and can determine the presence of many types of heart disease. An echocardiogram is often combined with a Doppler ultrasound, which is able to capture images of how blood moves through your heart. This helps to determine how the blood is flowing between the chambers and valves of the heart. An echocardiogram helps to detect coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, heart failure and heart valve diseases.
Exercise Stress Test
A stress test helps determine how the heart functions during exercise. It is helpful in diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure and heart rhythm problems. During this test, you walk briskly on a treadmill while your heart rate, blood pressure, and Electrocardiogram are monitored.
Stress Echocardiogram
A stress test helps determine how the heart functions during exercise in order to diagnose coronary artery disease and heart-related conditions. It also aids in examining the effectiveness of treatment. While exercising on a treadmill, your heart rate, blood pressure, and EKG are monitored. An Echocardiogram or ultrasound exam of the heart is performed before exercise and immediately after exercise. Comparing heart function before and after exercise helps your physician diagnose and treat coronary artery disease.
Nuclear Perfusion Imaging
Nuclear perfusion imaging is a commonly performed test used to measure blood flow in the heart and helps in the diagnosis and monitoring of coronary artery disease. First, a radioactive dye is injected via an IV in your arm, while at rest. Pictures of your heart are taken using a special camera. Then you undergo a stress test either using treadmill exercise or a medication. After the stress test, a second injection of the dye is administered and a second set of pictures taken of your heart. Comparing blood flow at rest and after stress in different parts of the heart muscle allows our physicians to diagnose coronary artery disease. It will help determine if there is any damage to your heart muscle from prior heart attack and decide on further treatment.
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardiac catheterization or coronary angiography is a specialized procedure used to look inside the arteries and chambers of your heart. It is a minimally invasive procedure that provides your doctor with information about your heart condition.
A long thin tube called a catheter is inserted in an artery in your groin or arm and then small catheters are threaded through your blood vessels into your heart.
Using x-rays and dye to capture images of your heart arteries, your doctors can diagnose severity of plaque build up inside your heart arteries, commonly called coronary artery disease (CAD). If significant blockages are found, coronary angioplasty and stenting may be quiet.
This procedure is performed in a cardiac catheterization laboratory after you have been given medications to help you relax. Recovery time for a cardiac catheterization is short and it is a relatively low risk procedure.
Coronary Angioplasty and Stenting
Coronary angioplasty, also called percutaneous coronary intervention, is a procedure used to open clogged heart arteries. Angioplasty involves temporarily inserting and inflating a tiny balloon where your artery is clogged to help widen the artery.
Angioplasty is often combined with the permanent placement of a small wire mesh tube called a stent to help prop the artery open and decrease its chance of narrowing again. Some stents are coated with medication to help keep your artery open (drug-eluting stents), while others are not (bare-metal stents).
Angioplasty can improve symptoms of blocked arteries, such as chest pain and shortness of breath. Angioplasty can also be used during a heart attack to quickly open a blocked artery and reduce the amount of damage to your heart.
Ankle Brachial Pressure Index (ABI)
In simplest terms, this is a method of calculating the blood pressure in your legs. Your physician can calculate your ABI with a painless exam. The test will compare the blood pressure in your feet to the blood pressure in your arms. If the pressure in your legs is lower than in the arms, it indicates narrowing or blockage in the leg arteries, also known as peripheral artery disease (PAD).
Arterial Duplex Scan
Arterial duplex scan is a non-invasive exam that uses high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to capture internal images of the major arteries in the arms, legs, and neck. A special jelly is placed on the area being examined while a wand-like device, called a transducer, is pressed lightly over the skin above the artery. Internal images of arteries are shown on a screen and can be recorded as a video and printed as a photo. This is useful in detecting peripheral artery disease (PAD) and assessing its severity to guide treatment.
Segmental Pressures
A test that uses Doppler ultrasound to measure the blood pressures in the legs to make sure there is normal blood flow. The test is usually done when there is intermittent claudication (leg pain on exercise) and to look for peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
Peripheral Angiogram (Lower Extremity Angiogram)
Peripheral angiogram is a procedure that is used to diagnose and treat blockages in your leg arteries that cause poor circulation (Peripheral Arterial Disease, or PAD).
In this procedure, which is done in our vascular laboratory, a thin tube called a catheter is inserted in your groin artery after you have been given medications to help you relax.
Thin catheters are inserted through this tube up to the area of blockage and then dye is injected to diagnose the severity of plaque build up in your leg arteries. If severe blockage is detected, it can be opened by doing balloon angioplasty in which a tiny balloon in inserted into the area of clogged artery and then inflating it. If indicated, placque can be removed using special devices or a stent can be inserted. A stent is a thin wire mesh to keep the artery propped open. Your doctor will be able to determine which treatment is best for you.
Peripheral angiogram is a minimally invasive procedure with quick recovery and low risk of complications.
Carotid Ultrasound
Carotid ultrasound is a non-invasive exam that uses high-frequency sound waves to capture images of the carotid arteries, which are the large arteries on each side of your neck. The carotid ultrasound shows blood flow in the neck arteries that supply blood to the brain. The carotid ultrasound can show plaque buildup in your carotid arteries and help detect carotid artery disease.
Carotid Angiogram
This is an invasive imaging procedure that involves inserting a catheter into a blood vessel in the arm or leg and guiding it to the carotid arteries with the aid of a special x-ray machine.
Holter Monitors
These monitors are battery-operated portable devices that measure and record the heart’s electrical activity. They are worn during daily activities, including when you sleep. It allows the heart’s electrical activity to be recorded longer than an Electrocardiography (EKG) test. Holter monitoring can be conducted continuously for 24 to 48 hours and can transmit the information to our physicians to assess. It is very helpful for patients with palpitations, dizziness and if there is a concern for fast or slow rhythms. Several leads are placed onto your chest and connected to the small device you wear. It may be performed to help diagnose abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) or silent myocardial ischemia (a condition where the heart is not receiving enough oxygen-rich blood).
Event Monitor
30 Day cardiac event monitoring, which is also known as Ambulatory Electrocardiography (EKG), uses a battery-operated portable device that is similar to a Holter monitor to measure and record the heart’s electrical activity. The monitor is worn during daily activities and while you sleep. It is very helpful for patients with palpitations, dizziness and if there is a concern for fast or slow rhythms. Several leads are placed onto your chest and connected to the small device you wear and can record when you push a button. It allows the heart’s electrical activity to be recorded intermittently during a period of 30 days. Event monitoring may be performed to help diagnose abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) or silent myocardial ischemia (a condition where the heart is not receiving enough oxygen-rich blood).
Tilt Table Test
A tilt table test is used to evaluate the cause of unexplained fainting (syncope). This can help determine if the cause is related to your heart rate or blood pressure.
Pacemaker
This is an implantable device that is placed under the skin in your chest that is able to monitor your heart beats and provide extra beats if your heart is too slow or has pauses. Wires are attached to this device which are placed in specific areas or chambers of your heart. It helps control some of these abnormal heart rhythms. A pacemaker can help with symptoms of fatigue and passing out.
Defibrillator (ICD)
This is an implantable device placed under the skin in your chest that is able to monitor the heart for any bad or deadly rhythms. It also provides therapy with extra beats or a shock to stop bad rhythms and save your life. It has wires that are attached to the device that are placed inside your heart. People with weak heart muscles, prior heart attacks and some genetic abnormalities are at risk for these dangerous rhythms. ICDs also have the ability to pace the heart if needed.
Ablation
Use of radiofrequency or laser energy to cauterize and close varicose veins in the legs.
Cardioversion
This is a procedure to treat abnormal rhythms that are irregular or too fast. After sedation, a very short and controlled electrical shock is delivered to the heart to convert it back to a normal rhythm. It is commonly used for rhythms like atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.