Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a surgical treatment for carotid artery disease. The carotid arteries are the main blood vessels that carry oxygen and blood to the brain. In carotid artery disease, these arteries become narrowed. This reduces blood flow to the brain and could cause a stroke.
Angioplasty, also called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is a procedure used to open blocked coronary arteries (caused by coronary artery disease) and restore blood flow to the heart muscle without open-heart surgery.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the simplest and fastest tests used to evaluate the heart. For this test, electrodes (small, plastic patches that stick to the skin) are placed at certain spots on the chest, arms, and legs. When the electrodes are connected to an ECG machine by wires, the electrical activity of the heart is measured, interpreted, and printed out.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the simplest and fastest tests used to evaluate the heart. Electrodes (small, plastic patches that stick to the skin) are placed at certain locations on the chest, arms, and legs. When the electrodes are connected to an ECG machine by lead wires, the electrical activity of the heart is measured, interpreted, and printed out.
An echocardiogram is a noninvasive (the skin is not pierced) procedure used to evaluate the heart’s function and structures.
A dobutamine stress echocardiogram is a diagnostic test to assess the heart muscle under stress. If exercise on a treadmill is not an option (too much stress on the heart) due to a person’s medical condition, a doctor may use an intravenous medicine called dobutamine. Dobutamine causes the heart to beat faster and will mimic the effects of exercise on the heart.
