The physicians at Cardiovascular Consultants are organized differently from those of most cardiology practices in that many of them devote the majority of their time to a subspecialty in the field of heart disease, e.g. nuclear cardiology, electrophysiology, invasive cardiology, echocardiology, etc. This is not the usual pattern for most cardiologists who often continue to practice in all the subspecialty areas, but with reduced frequency and experience to those who concentrate their time in an area of their expertise. It has been the philosophy of Cardiovascular Consultants that the highest level of care can only be given by those who devote the majority of their professional activity to areas where it is necessary to have frequent exposure to maintain technical proficiency. It is in this setting that certain members of Cardiovascular Consultants have been designated as"Clinical Cardiologists."
A clinical cardiologist is a generalist in cardiovascular medicine who delivers comprehensive care, but who also uses the subspecialists in cardiology to bring the highest level of advanced cardiac care to his or her patients. All of the cardiologists at Cardiovascular Consultants practice clinical cardiology, but some of the physicians have elected to concentrate their time in the general and comprehensive care of patients in order to use their knowledge and experience to guide their patients through a thoughtful utilization of the sophisticated resources available. The clinical cardiologist has training in al the subspecialty areas of cardiology, but often not in the performance of the special procedures of each of the disciplines. He or she is therefor able to provide a solid foundation for the integration of basic clinical medicine to the care of patients in a highly technical environment.
Exercise treadmill testing
The exercise treadmill test is a common diagnostic study that is performed in our office. Certain cardiac diagnoses, such as coronary artery disease, are not always obvious on the resting electrocardiogram (ECG); therefore, an ECG is performed during exercise stress.
During the test, you will be required to walk on a moving treadmill while a continuous ECG is recorded. The speed and/or elevation of the treadmill will increase at certain time intervals according to a set protocol.
The exercise treadmill test will be supervised by a nurse clinician who will be assessing your ECG continuously, as well as your blood pressure and any symptoms you may experience. The cardiologist is available to the nurse at all times for immediate consultation. The duration of the test varies with a person's age, health and level of conditioning. The end point of the test may be ECG changes, symptoms, or simply fatigue.
A technician in our office will take you to a special treadmill room. You will be asked to sign an informed consent. If necessary, 10 small areas on your chest will be shaved of hair in preparation for ECG lead placement. The areas will then be cleansed with alcohol and rubbed gently with abrasive paper to ensure a good ECG connection. The electrodes will be placed on your chest and 10 wires will be attached to the electrodes and connected to the computerized ECG machine. The hookup time is approximately 15 minutes.
After the test, your rhythm and ECG will be observed for six minutes. You will then return to your exam room. The cardiologist will discuss the results of your exercise treadmill test with you and your family at the end of your exam.
Providers associated with this clinic include:
