Cardiac Testing

What is cardiac testing?

Cardiac testing measures how well your heart functions. The tests record your:

• Heart rhythm
• Heart rate
• Heart electrical activity
• Blood pressure

The Bridgewater Primary Care & Cardiology, LLC, team performs many cardiac tests onsite. They screen for heart disease and to determine what’s causing symptoms like chest pain or arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats).

What cardiac tests might I need?

The frontline cardiac test is an electrocardiogram (EKG). This painless in-office procedure involves attaching pads containing electrodes to your body. The electrodes send back information to the EKG machine, which produces a graph of the electrical activity in your heart.

A variation of this is the exercise stress test. You have the electrodes attached as you would for a standard EKG, but you exercise on a treadmill or stationary bicycle to raise your heart rate. Stress testing can highlight problems that might not appear on a resting EKG.

If these tests can’t provide the information required, Dr. Terzian may recommend further cardiac testing.

What other cardiac testing is available?

The following tests are available at Bridgewater Primary Care & Cardiology, LLC:

Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram uses sound waves to construct a moving image of your heart. Doppler ultrasound shows how well your blood flows through the heart’s chambers and valves. Dr. Terzian might recommend an echocardiogram if you experience chest pain and/or shortness of breath.

Abdominal aortic ultrasound

An abdominal aortic ultrasound also uses sound waves. It shows how blood flows along the aorta, the largest artery in the abdomen. This test detects abdominal aortic aneurysms (weak artery walls that balloon with blood). It also rules out other cardiac conditions.

Nuclear stress testing

This test involves injecting a radiotracer (a small amount of radioactive material) into your bloodstream. It shows how blood flows in and around your heart during rest and when you’re active. Nuclear stress testing is particularly useful for diagnosing and monitoring coronary artery disease (CAD).

Pulse volume recording (PVR)

A PVR measures the blood pressure and blood flow in your legs. It helps to diagnose and monitor peripheral artery disease (PAD) and locate partially blocked arteries.

Stress echo testing

A stress echo is an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) you have while exercising on a treadmill. It can identify coronary artery blockages.

Call Bridgewater Primary Care & Cardiology, LLC, today if you’d like more information about cardiac testing. Online inquiries and appointment bookings are also welcome.