What is a stroke? A stroke is a medical emergency. It is similar to a heart attack for the brain. It occurs when the flow of blood to the brain is interrupted, resulting in oxygen starvation to the brain cells which can no longer perform their task whether it is memory, vision or muscle control.…
My Watch Told Me to Go to the Hospital
The role technology plays in our life is rapidly evolving. The rise of wearable technology from fitness trackers to the Apple watch has been possible by the technology getting smaller and faster. Technology is becoming part of us. As these technologies are being developed and tested, there is a need for guidelines to address…
MRI Scans in Patients with Pacemaker Defibrillators
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a completely noninvasive test that uses a magnetic field and radio frequency waves to create detailed pictures of the heart and blood vessels. It depicts the heart wall and valves structure and display its function. It provides information on the regional and global heart function, valves and their function…
Gene Therapy for Heart Failure
The use of gene therapy for heart failure is currently being investigated. Heart failure is a major public concern which affects an estimated 1% of the Western world, including over 5 million Americans with over half a million new cases each year. The current medical treatment of heart failure includes proven beneficial medicine such as…
Not All Heart Attacks Are Created Equal
Not all heart attacks are created equal. The type of heart attack can influence the prognosis greatly. A heart attack can be recognized by clinical features of chest pain or shortness of breath, ECG or cardiac imaging findings and elevated biochemical markers including the cardiac troponin, the so-called “heart attack blood test”. The…
WHAT DOES CARDIAC CT SHOW?
Noninvasive cardiac imaging has evolved significantly over the last several years. Advances in technology has led to development of newer CT (Computed Tomography) systems with improved spatial and temporal resolution, shorter imaging time, and with ECG gating, allows for the imaging of the beating heart. Cardiac CT is the fastest growing imaging modality in the field…
HEART FUNCTION INCLUDING EJECTION FRACTION ( EF )
Heart function including ejection fraction (EF) is important in clinical practice because it is related to prognosis. Whether the patient suffers from valvular heart disease or ischemic heart disease, a measure of heart function including ejection fraction (EF) can predict future clinical outcome and assist in risk stratification. Several approaches to detect patients at…
How Long Does an Echocardiogram Take?
How long does An Echocardiogram Take? An average echocardiogram will take around 20 minutes to complete. Around 5 minutes of the 20 will be spent on preparing and positioning the patient for the echocardiogram. 15 minutes on average will be spent acquiring the relevant images of the heart. A stress echocardiogram on top of this…
What Does An Echocardiogram Show?
What Does An Echocardiogram Show? An echocardiogram is used to show possible abnormalities of the heart structure and function that may be the cause for symptoms thought to be related to heart disease. An echocardiogram shows us the structure and function of the heart. It provides information on the heart pumping function and heart size.…
The Echo Board Exam – Everything You Need to Know to Pass
Content covered in this comprehensive article includes the Echo Board Exam, Echo boards information, ASCeXAM®, echoboardstudy.com, Echo board certification, echo board review, echo board study, echo board resources, echo board practice questions, and echo board practice tests. What is the Echo Board Exam? The echocardiography board exam is also known as echo boards or the…
