There are many reasons that may lead to someone needing a heart catheterization in the cardiac cath lab. Should it be an abnormal stress test, positive cardiac enzymes, or an acute myocardial infarction, the next step may be a heart cath. Even if your procedure is scheduled, or “routine,” it can be a scary experience.…
RVSP – Right Ventricular Systolic Pressure
What is RVSP? RVSP is short for right ventricular systolic pressure. RVSP is a commonly searched term because it is found on almost all echocardiogram reports. It is important as the RVSP is used to estimate the pressure inside the artery that supplies the lung with blood. In most cases, the RVSP equals the pulmonary…
Right Heart Catheterization
What is a Right Heart Catheterization? So you have been told you need a Right Heart Catheterization (RHC), now what? Allow us at MyHeart to explain this procedure. Before delving into the specifics of a right heart catheterization, it is important to understand basic definitions and parts. A catheter is essentially a long hollow tube…
Tilt Test – Tilt Table Test Explained!
Did your doctor order you to take a tilt test? He could suspect you have POTS Syndrome or any kind of disease. Learn what to expect from your tilt test experience and what kind of cardiovascular diseases your physician may be trying to diagnosis.
Troponin Levels – The Heart Attack Blood Test
What does elevated troponin level mean? An elevated troponin is in general concerning for heart damage until proven otherwise. It can be from a heart attack due to a blockage or due to other conditions that place strain on the heart such as heart failure or critical illness. As discussed below there are other, non…
Do I Need A Stress Test ? – Why It’s Not That Simple
I frequently perform emergency procedures to open up blocked heart arteries. At the end of the case, I’m often asked by the patient “how could this happen, I only just had a normal stress test a few months ago!” They think they have either been mismanaged by their cardiologist, or that the test was read…
What Is A Stress Test?
Unless otherwise stated, any stress test referenced on a MyHeart related blog post will refer specifically to cardiac stress tests. Other heart related stress tests like cardiopulmonary exercise tests can be discussed at a later date. In generic terms, a stress test is a procedure to indirectly determine whether there are significant blockages in your…
Echocardiography – Part 1 – What is an echocardiogram
An echocardiogram or echo for short, is a powerful tool used primarily by cardiologists to evaluate the heart’s structure and function. An echocardiogram is a type of sonogram which means that it uses sound waves to take pictures of your heart and related structures. The system is very similar to sonar on a submarine. The…
Cardiac Biomarkers – Is It All About Troponin?
Question asked by @Saroonahadnan via Twitter: I have question about...what is the first cardiac marker in a heart attack? A troponin or CK-MB? Appreciate your help. Answered by Dr. Guichard: There are three generally accepted cardiac biomarkers that are analyzed as a panel - creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase MB isoform (CK-MB), and cardiac troponin…
How often should I have an Echocardiogram?
By Julian Booker MD How often should I have an Echocardiogram? The first thing that must be stated about the echocardiography appropriate use guidelines is that they are just that...guidelines. They are designed to provide direction but still be vague enough to allow flexibility in their interpretation if needed. This flexibility is needed so as…
