Heart Care Services
Angioplasty
In angioplasty procedures, doctors use a balloon inserted into a blocked or constricted artery to compress blockages and expand width of the artery so more blood can pass through. It is a common treatment for coronary artery disease, which is a hardening or narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. While blockages can be removed and arteries expanded in this way, angioplasty does not cure coronary artery disease. Only lifestyle and dietary changes and a reduction of other risk factors can truly work to prevent the further development or progression of disease.
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram (echo) is a quick and painless imaging test that helps your doctor evaluate your heart. During an echo, small pads are placed on your chest to monitor your heartbeat. A transducer coated with cool gel is then moved over your chest creating sound waves that make images of your heart. Those images are then stored on a computer or recorded on video so your doctor can review them and interpret the results.
Another type of echocardiogram offered at Crestwood Medical Center is a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE). TEE is an ultrasound of the heart that is done from inside the esophagus. The esophagus lies just behind the heart, so the TEE provides clear images of the heart. The test usually takes 15 to 20 minutes.
Stress Testing
Stress testing at Crestwood Medical Center is a noninvasive procedure performed on a treadmill to identify and diagnose heart disease. Whether it is needed to evaluate the cause of chest pain, measure the strength of your heart or simply establish a baseline for individuals with cardiac risk factors like high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease, stress testing will help your doctor measure the heart’s ability to respond to external stress.
More extensive stress tests may involve an injection of radioisotopes to analyze the amount of blood flow to the heart muscle.
For more information, please call: (256) 429-5650