Cardiac tests Flashcards
Cardiac stress testing
Electrodiagnostic
Provides information about patient’s cardiac function
Heart is stressed in some way and then evaluated during the stress
Exercise, chemical, pacing
Ischemic changes indicate coronary disease
Often done preoperatively
Electrocardiography (EKG)
Electrodiagnostic
Records electrical impulses that stimulate heart to contract
Evaluate arrhythmia, conduction defects, myocardial injury
Can assist with diagnosis of electrolyte abnormalities, drug level abnormalities, pulmonary disease
Electrophysiologic study (EPS)
Electrodiagnostic
Studying evoked potentials within the heart
Syncope, palpitations, or arrhythmias
Identify location of conduction defects
Can also be used therapeutically to stop arrhythmias
Holter monitor
Electrodiagnostic
Records patient’s heart rate and rhythm for more than 1 days
Indicated in syncope, palpitations, atypical chest pains, dyspnea
Patients should journal symptoms to see if there is any cardiac correlation
Pericardiocentesis
Performed to determine cause of pericardial effusion
Can be done therapeutically to relieve intrapericardial pressure; cardiac tamponade
Usually performed by physician in cardiac cath lab or operating room
Cardiac Nuclear Scan
Nuclear scan
Evaluate coronary vascular disease, coronary surgery/angioplasty, chest pain, SOB, elevated cardiac enzymes
Includes myocardial perfusion, MUGA, cardiac flow, nuclear SPECT, exercise stress test
Most accurate method to determine coronary occlusive disease
Vascular ultrasound studies (venous and arterial)
ultrasound
Rule out DVT or arterial occlusion
Evaluate PVD – patency of venous system, suspected arterial insufficiency, varicose veins
ABI <0.85 indicates significant arterial occlusive disease
Echocardiography (ECHO)
ultrasound
Ultrasound of heart
Evaluates wall motion abnormalities, valvular disease, pericardial fluid
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)
ultrasound
Evaluates structures that are difficult to evaluate via transthoracic echocardiogram
Provides imaging from retrograde vantage point
Can be used to evaluate ischemia as ischemic muscle moves differently
Arteriography
XRAY
Evaluates occlusive disease of adrenal glands, kidneys, mesentery, brain, and lower extremity
Renal angiograph evaluates blood flow dynamics, demonstration of abnormal blood vessels
Often can be ordered in uncontrolled HTN, hypertensive crisis
Lower extremity angiograph evaluates PVD
Emergent arteriogram ordered in patient with sudden arterial occlusion
Cardiac Catheterization
XRAY
Visualizes heart, great blood vessels, and coronary arteries
Used to identify severity of atherosclerotic, occlusive CAD; valvular or septal defects; evaluate cardiac muscle function; treat acute MI
Performed by cardiologist
Venography
XRAY
Contrast enhanced xray of venous system to identify obstruction or thrombus
More specific than venous doppler
Performed by radiologist
