Cardiology: Non-Invasive

You may need an ECG if you have any of the following signs and symptoms:

• Chest pain
• Dizziness, lightheadedness or confusion
• Heart palpitations
• Rapid pulse
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness, fatigue or a decline in ability to exercise

An ECG may also be recommended due to a family history or other risk factors for heart disease even if you are not experiencing any symptoms. Alternatively, if your symptoms tend to come and go, they may not be captured during a standard ECG recording. In this case your doctor may recommend remote or continuous ECG monitoring such as a holter or event monitor.

An echocardiogram uses ultrasound to create moving pictures of the heart. It shows how well the heart muscle and valves are working, measures the heart's pumping strength, and can detect enlarged chambers, valve disease and fluid around the heart. The test is painless and uses no radiation.

Holter and event monitors are small, portable ECG recorders worn at home. A Holter monitor records every heartbeat for one or more days, while an event monitor can be worn for weeks to capture symptoms that come and go, such as palpitations or dizziness.

An exercise stress test records your heart's rhythm, blood pressure and symptoms while you walk on a treadmill. It helps detect reduced blood flow to the heart, evaluate exercise capacity and guide treatment.

Nuclear stress testing uses a small amount of a radioactive tracer and a special camera to show blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and under stress, whether the stress comes from exercise or medication. It helps identify blocked arteries and areas of heart muscle that are not getting enough blood.

An abdominal aortic ultrasound is a quick, painless screening test that measures the size of the aorta, the body's main artery, to check for an aneurysm (an abnormal bulge). It is recommended for certain patients, including older adults who have smoked.

Duplex ultrasound evaluates blood flow in the arteries and veins of the arms, legs and neck. It is used to detect narrowed arteries (peripheral artery disease or carotid disease), blood clots, and vein problems such as varicose veins.