Question

CARDIVASCULAR DISEASE. EVALUATION AND RATINELE

Thallium scans or myocardial perfusion scans

Cardiac catheterization

EKG

Stress test

Holter monitor

Event recorder

  

Answer 1

1. Thallium scan

Thallium scan is a nuclear imaging test to find out how is blood flow into your heart while doing exer tion or at the time of rest.

procedure:- a radioisotope is administered into a vein. When the radioisotope reach in the heart, a gamma camera detect the radiation and reveal any issues your heart muscle.

Rationale:-

• in excercise intolerance
• chest pain or worsening angina
• previous history of heart attack
• to assess the effectiveness of treatment
• before advising excercise

2. Cardiac catheterization

a catheter is inserted into an artery or vein. The catheter is threaded through blood vessel until it reaches heart. a dye can be injected through the catheter to visualise the vessels and chambers of the heart with the use of a special X-ray machine.

Rationale:-

• to look for a congenital heart disease
• to take tissue for biopsy
• in valvular heart disease
• to evaluate chest pain/angina
• to measure pressure inside heart

3.EKG

EKG or ECG measures electrical activity of heart. it is a simple, non invasive test. Electrical activity of heart is made into a graph using electrodes(leads) attached to the body.

Rationale:- To evaluate

• chest pain
• dyspnea
• fatigue
• palpitation
• features of heart failure
• murmurs on auscultation

stress test:- it is used to detect heart problems which appear only during excercise.

here, a EKG is taken during excercise. Patient on a treadmill or stationary bicycle suitable for stress test

Holter monitor:- Here, electrical activity of heart of a patient is recorded over a period of 24 to 48 hours, during which patient is keeping track of all activities in a diary. Also known as ambulatory EKG. it is used to identify cause of symptom

Event recorder:- it is used to record EKG of patients in whom symptoms are infrequent. it record EKG only when symptoms appear. some event recorders automatically start when symptoms appear, some may require manual switching on