Medical Investigations:Cardiac Investigation Unit

The Cardiac Investigation Unit provides clients with cardiology diagnostic and interventional procedures in a friendly and professional environment. The Cardiac Investigations Unit aims to provide a high quality, efficient and well organised service in a team environment, which values good communication and supports our staff and patients.

Investigations conducted within the unit include:

• Electrocardiograms (ECG) - A 12 Lead Electrocardiogram (ECG) is the electrical signal in your heart over time that is picked up by electrodes on your skin. It is then captured on a rhythm strip.
• 24 and 48-hour ambulatory ECG monitoring (Holter monitors) - Holter Monitoring uses a device that allows prolonged recording (24 or 48 hours) of your heart beat whilst you conduct normal daily activities.
• Cardiac Event Monitoring (seven days) - Event monitoring uses a device that allows prolonged electrocardiographic recordings while you conduct normal activities over seven days.
• 24-hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring - Blood pressure monitoring enables the doctor to assess your blood pressure readings over a 24-hour period.
• Exercise stress tests - Exercise Stress Testing (EST) measures the performance and capacity of the heart, lungs and blood vessels. It is used to assist in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease, assess the effectiveness of medications and to assess exercise capacity.
• Tilt Table Testing - The Tilt Table Test is a test in which the patient is positioned lying flat and then brought up to a 60-degree angle and monitored via ECG and blood pressure. The purpose of the test is to help determine the cause of fainting (syncope).
• Exercise Stress Echocardiograms (ESE) - An Exercise Stress Echocardiogram (ESE) involves performing an ultrasound of the heart before and after exercise on a treadmill. It is used to diagnose coronary artery disease and assess the effectiveness of medications.
• Dobutamine Stress Echocardiograms (DSE) - A Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram (DSE) is an investigation that involves an ultrasound of the heart with the infusion of Dobutamine. Dobutamine is a drug used to increase your heart rate in a controlled environment and is used to mimic exercise.
• Transthoracic Echocardiograms (echo) - An Echocardiogram (Echo) is an ultrasound of the heart. It is a non-invasive and safe procedure that assesses the structure and function of the heart.
• Transoesphagel Echocardiograms (TOE) - Transoesophageal Echocardiography (TOE) is a special type of ultrasound of the heart where a long “tube-like” transducer takes images of the heart from inside the food pipe (oesophagus). It enables clearer pictures to be obtained than a normal ultrasound from your chest.

• Cardiac Device Clinics - The Pacemaker or Internal Cardiac Defibrillator check is a quick, non-invasive procedure that interrogates your device and assesses its battery and function. This is done using a special computer and magnet device.

Contribution by Anna Holness club memberships white coat