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Archive for the ‘Heart Technology’ Category
Thursday, May 26th, 2011
One American dies every 32 seconds of cardiovascular disease, disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, costing society over 83.7 billion dollars each year in health services, medications and lost work time due to disability. Each year, approximately five and a half million stress nuclear cardiology studies are performed in the United States. Both the pump function and the blood flow of the heart are assessed during nuclear cardiology testing procedures. As a result, physicians are able to detect the presence of cardiovascular disease and may also discover important information regarding the occurrence of future heart attacks.
The heart is evaluated at rest and during exercise using a small amount of radioisotope during the noninvasive procedure. A complex imaging technique, nuclear cardiology testing relies on the experience and training of both the physician and the technologist. Their interpretive and technical abilities determine the diagnostic accuracy of the examination. The Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Nuclear Medicine Laboratories (ICANL) has developed an accreditation program that evaluates the quality of these and other critical elements of a nuclear cardiology laboratory.
The Heart and Wellness Institute, Nuclear Medicine located in Grand Rapids, MI, was granted accreditation by the ICANL. The laboratory is one of a growing number of nuclear cardiology laboratories in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico to be so recognized for its commitment to high quality patient care and its provision of quality diagnostic testing.
The ICANL was established with the support of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, the Society of Nuclear Medicine, the Society of Nuclear Medicine Technologist Section, the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Nuclear Medicine, the Academy of Molecular Imaging, and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists. The ICANL provides a peer review mechanism to encourage and recognize the provision of quality nuclear cardiology and nuclear medicine diagnostic evaluations by a process of voluntary accreditation. A non-profit organization, the ICANL is dedicated to ensuring high quality patient care and to promoting health care.
Participation in the accreditation process is voluntary. Accreditation status signifies that the facility has been reviewed by an independent agency that recognizes the laboratory’s commitment to quality testing for the diagnosis of heart disease.
Tags: heart, heart disease diagnosis, heart disease prevention, ICANL, laboratory, nuclear, testing
Posted in Cardiovascular Care, Heart Attack, Heart Conditions, Heart Disease, Heart Health, Heart Technology | 1 Comment »
Monday, February 7th, 2011
Dr. Manohar is on the Executive Board and part of the Circle of Red membership, and we’re proud to sponsor Go Red For Women and the fight against heart disease.
For more information on the February 25th Go Red For Women event, please visit the Circle Of Red Website.
The Heart and Wellness Institute is recognized as the premier institute in West Michigan for delivering specialized care in Women’s Heart Disease and Prevention.
Tags: cardiovascular illness, Dr. Manohar, healthy heart, Heart and Wellness Institute, Heart Disease, heart disease prevention, heart disease treatment
Posted in Cardiovascular Care, Cholesterol Risk Factors, Classes at Heart + Wellness Institute, Heart Attack, Heart Conditions, Heart Disease, Heart Health, Heart Technology, Stroke | No Comments »
Monday, March 8th, 2010
Tilt Table Testing can be a very useful test for determining the cause of your symptoms.
The test starts with you lying on a special bed with a footboard and a motor that allows your doctor to tilt the bed at different angles. You will have an intravenous line (IV) in your arm to give you medications and/or fluids during the procedure if you need them. The goal will be to reproduce your symptoms and see how your heart rate, rhythm, and blood pressure respond. You may feel no symptoms at all; you may feel lightheaded, dizzy, nauseous, palpitations, blurred vision, or you may faint. You will, however, be continuously monitored and under constant medical care and supervision.
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Why do I need a Tilt Table Test?
A Tilt Table Test is used to evaluate the cause of unexplained fainting spells or severe lightheadedness. The procedure is also used to evaluate heart rhythm, blood pressure, and symptoms with change of position.
How long does a Tilt Table Test usually take?
A Tilt Table Test usually takes approximately 1 hour, but plan to spend 3 hours from the time you arrive through the time that you leave.
Tags: bed moves to simulate symptoms, blood pressure, heart rhythm, tilt table test
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Sunday, March 7th, 2010
Monitoring how your heart responds to stress using echocardiography combined with exercise.
A stress echo is used to evaluate how the heart reacts to exercise and to determine the blood supply to the heart, thereby helping to detect narrowing of the coronary arteries. Stress echocardiograph usually combines standard echocardiography with an exercise stress test. A baseline echocardiogram is taken, and then the patient exercises until the target heart rate is reached. While exercising, the patient is monitored via EKG and also by wearing a blood pressure cuff. An echo is taken at peak heart rate, then later during recovery as the heart rate slows down.Â
Medication also can be used to simulate the effect of exercise on the heart for patients unable to exercise. This is called a pharmacologic stress test. Both exercise stress tests and pharmacological stress tests improve the diagnostic accuracy of the test and aid the physician in truly determining the presence of significant narrowing of the coronary arteries.
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Why do I need a stress echocardiogram?
A Stress Echocardiogram can help determine if you may have heart vessel blockage. The stress portion also helps us to see your functional capacity and how your body responds to exercise.
There are two ways that the stress can be accomplished:
- Stress (Walking)
- You will walk on the treadmill. You will be assisted (coached through the entire process).
- An echo is performed at rest and immediately after getting off the treadmill.
- Dobutamine (Chemically induced)
- You will receive an intravenous line (IV) through which medication is given over time to increase the workload of the heart, thus simulating exercise. You will be lying down on a bed.
- An echo is performed at rest and at select stages during the administering of the medication.
With both types of stress echocardiograms, the echo pictures at rest and peak stress are compared to evaluate how the heart responds to stress or added workload.
How to prepare?
- Do NOT eat or drink anything except water for 6 hours prior to your appointment.
- If you are a diabetic call The Heart and Wellness Institute for special instructions.
- Do NOT wear any lotion, perfume, or powder.
- Stop taking your beta blockers or calcium channel blockers the day before your test, unless otherwise instructed by your physician.
- Wear a shirt that can easily be removed. Shirt and bra will be removed by women.
- Please wear flat comfortable shoes which will remain firmly on your feet as you may be walking on the treadmill. Do not wear sandals, heels, slippers etc.
- If you are taking any medications, please bring them with you.
How long is the test?
The test will take approximately 1-2 hours. Â
When will I get my results?
Dr. Manohar will discuss the results with you after your testing is completed.
Tags: baseline echocardiogram, echocardiography, exercise stress test, narrowing arteries, pharmacological stress test, preparing for stress test, stress test
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Sunday, March 7th, 2010
Monitoring the arteries that carry blood to your kidneys.
Your doctor may order a renal artery ultrasound if you have early signs of kidney failure or if your blood pressure is difficult to control despite multiple medications. Renal artery ultrasound uses ultrasound waves to make an image of the arteries. This test can help your doctors diagnose if your kidney vessels are blocked, which can affect your blood pressure and kidney function. You may also have your kidney tissue imaged to help determine the size and shape of your kidneys. Kidney size and function can often be affected in people with high blood pressure or diabetes.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD BROCHUREÂ
What happens during a renal artery ultrasound?
You will be asked to lie down on an examination table. The technician (or physician) will place a clear gel on your abdomen. The gel is simply a lubricant that allows the transducer (a device that both puts out and detects ultrasound signals) to slide around easily on your skin. When the transducer is placed against the skin, an image of the artery is shown on a video screen. The renal arteries are identified and a measurement will be made of the speed of blood flow through the artery.
What are the risks of renal artery ultrasound?
Since the procedure is done without entering the body and does not use dyes or x-rays, there is no known risk or pain involved in having a renal artery ultrasound.
How does a renal artery ultrasound work?
The transducer (ultrasound probe) emits high-frequency ultrasound waves that pass into the body and bounce back to the transducer. The sound waves are reflected differently by different parts of the body. The transducer detects the different reflections of the sound waves, which are then measured and converted by a computer into live pictures of the artery.
Tags: blood pressure, blood pressure medication, diabetes, hypertnsion, kidney failure, kidney size function, renal artery ultrasound
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Sunday, March 7th, 2010
Monitoring your device in our Pacemaker Clinic
A pacemaker is an electronic device used to treat patients who have symptoms caused by abnormal heart rhythms. Sometime pacemakers assist in improving symptoms in patients with congestive heart failure. A pacemaker is capable of keeping track of the patient’s heartbeats. If the patient’s heart is beating too slowly, the pacemaker will generate electrical signals similar to the heart’s natural signals, causing the heart to beat faster. The purpose of the pacemaker is to maintain heartbeats so that adequate oxygen and nutrients are delivered through the blood to the organs of the body.
How is a pacemaker followed?
Once the pacemaker is inserted, it should be monitored on a regular basis and optimized so that you get the best use of the device. This is done in pacemaker clinic. Your pacemaker computer chip stores information about your pacemaker which can be retrieved. The chip can then be reprogrammed so that the pacemaker functions to its best capacity. This information exchange can be done at the Heart and Wellness Institute or sometimes by phone.
Tags: heart monitoring, pacemaker, pacemaker clinic, pacemaker optimization, racemaker reprogramming, regulating heartbeat
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Sunday, March 7th, 2010
Two safe and efficient ways to monitor the electrical activity of your heart.
A holter monitor is a continuous tape recording of your electrical activity for 24-48 hours. Since it can be worn during your regular daily activities, it helps the physician correlate symptoms of dizziness, palpitations (a sensation of fast or irregular heart rhythm) or black outs. Since the recording covers 24 -48 hours, on a continuous basis, holter monitoring is much more likely to detect an abnormal heart rhythm than an EKG which lasts less than a minute.
How do I prepare for the Test?
The only requirement is to wear loose-fitting clothes. A button-down front shirt or blouse is preferable. This makes it convenient to apply the EKG electrodes and also comfortable to carry the monitor in a relatively discreet manner.
After returning the holter monitor to The Heart and Wellness Institute, the memory storage is removed from the recorder and scanned by a technician. Multiple EKG strips are recorded on paper together with a computer-generated summary that provides details about your heart rate and rhythm during the recording. Many monitors are equipped with an “event” button; pressing the button during a symptom (dizziness, for example) will help the technician print an EKG from that precise time. Â This information is then provided to your doctor.
How long does it take?
It takes approximately 20 minutes to apply the monitor and receive instructions on its use and less than 5 minutes to remove it.
How safe is the test?
Holter monitoring is extremely safe and no different than carrying around a small tape recorder. Some patients are sensitive to the electrode adhesive but no serious allergic reactions are known.
When will I get the results?
The report is provided to the physician, together with multiple EKG strips after the tape has been scanned by the technician. A heart typically beats about 100,000 times in a 24 hour period. Because these beats are reviewed during the evaluation of the recording, it may take one to two weeks before you get the official results from your physician’s office.
What is an event recorder?
An event recorder is similar to a holter monitor, but it is activated by you when you are experiencing an event. You may carry it with you or were it as instructed for longer periods of time until several of your symptoms or events are captured.
Tags: event recorder, heart electrical activity, holter recorder, monitor heart rate, monitor heart rhythm, records heart events
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Sunday, March 7th, 2010
Heart catheterization may be used to evaluate heart muscle function, heart and leg pressures, and oxygenation, confirm the presence of coronary heart disease, and determine the need for further treatment.
Catheterization is a procedure where a long, thin, flexible plastic tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel in your leg or arm and guided to your heart with the aid of a special x-ray machine. Pressure, and sometimes oxygen, measurements are made. Contrast is then injected into the catheter and images are taken of your valves, coronary arteries, and heart chambers.
How long will the procedure take?
The heart catheterization procedure takes approximately 30 minutes (longer if you have had prior bypass surgery), but plan to spend about 5 to 9 hours from the preparation through recovery time.
Tags: coronary heart disease, heart and leg pressure, heart catheterization, heart muscle function, oxygenation
Posted in Heart Technology | Comments Off
Sunday, March 7th, 2010
This test produces pictures of your heart that are used to evaluate your heart valves, heart muscle, and heart as a whole.
Also known simply as an “echo”, an echocardiogram is a common diagnostic test that uses ultrasound technology to create pictures of the heart and its vessels. It may also be called a transthoracic echocardiogram. The word “transthoracic” means “across the chest.” The echocardiogram uses high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to get a picture of the four heart chambers and the four heart valves. This is done by obtaining 2 dimensional, Doppler (blood flow) and 3 dimensional images with an ultrasound device. Gel that aids in the transmission of the sound waves is placed on the chest and an ultrasound device is moved over the area. Ultrasound waves are sent into the chest and bounce back to the device and the sound waves are transformed into pictures. These pictures allow the physician to detect damage and disease by observing the structure and size of the heart, movement of the heart muscle, and the flow of blood through the heart chambers. An echocardiogram may help identify the cause of symptoms such as shortness of breath, swelling in the legs or pain in the chest.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD BROCHURE
How to prepare?
- Wear a shirt that can be easily removed. We will have a gown for you to wear.
- Shirt and bra will be removed by women.
- No special eating instructions.
How long is the test?
The test will take approximately 45 minutes.
 When will I get my results?
Dr. Manohar will discuss your results with you after your testing is completed.
Vascular Imaging
The laboratory can perform state-of-the-art testing for all types of vascular services. These services are:
- vascular disease screening (carotid artery, abdominal aortic aneurysm and peripheral arterial disease)
- lower extremity plethysmography with and without exercise
- upper extremity plethysmography
- abdominal Doppler
- renal artery Doppler
- carotid Doppler and venous Doppler
Tags: echocardiography, heart chambers, heart ultrasound, heart valves, preparation for echocardiograph, transthoracic echocardiogram, vascular imaging
Posted in Heart Technology | Comments Off
Sunday, March 7th, 2010
Using Doppler to look at the red blood cells.
Doppler echocardiography is used to look at the red blood cells and judges the direction, speed and amount of flow. This helps detect problems with the valves or certain congenital heart abnormalities, such as holes between chambers of the heart. These findings are displayed with color and sound changes, similar to those seen with Doppler weather radar. Doppler echocardiography is usually used in conjunction with a transthoracic or transesophageal echo exam.
Tags: congenital heart abnormalities, doppler echocardiography, red blood cells, transesophageal echo, transthoracic echo, valvular problems
Posted in Heart Technology | Comments Off
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